"Tell Someone" Ad Dishonesty

I have been dealing with the silent but deadly form of hpv since the 80's at which time I have a hyster. at the age of 26 from cervical cancer, you'd think that would be the end of that but NO...Hpv also causes vulvar and anal cancers which I also went on to endure at the age of 38 I had a skinning vulvetomy with removal of the anus and reconstruction from my thigh....STILL think its no big deal? WRONG!
I wish I had heard of hpv before I was dx with cancer, I WISH someone had informed me to do self exams for vulvar cancer back then, I wish they just knew it back then.
However corney or mis leading you think the commerical, if it saves only one life, informs one girl, gets one more girl in for her yrly paps, then its well worth you clicking the web link to find out more!
YES, other things cause female cancers, mostly non hpv types of cancer are in the elderly, VERY young women were and are dx everyday with cervical changes as well as vulvar and anal dysplsia'a. When I was Dx. there wasnt a soul around who even knew what vulvar cancer was, much less hpv. Personally, I'm thankful to have been yelling for all these yrs to finally see it on Tv at all! Now atlast, all thw world will know! Hpv doesnt just cause warts, it cost lives! Getting early detection and your yrly paps is critical in saving womens lives! For Gods Sake....YES...TELL SOMEONE...ANYONE...EVERYONE!

Marie
www.womenconqueringcancer.org

Who cares if they're marketing Gardisil? Shouldn't they? If there's a vaccine out there that can help prevent HPV, shouldn't they spread the word? Gardisil is so new that they still have copyrights to the vaccine, so it's not like they're competing against other companies or generic replicas of the vaccine. And even if they're doing the right thing for the wrong reasons---they're doing the RIGHT THING!
Instead of frowning down upon the makers of this new drug, I think we should commend them.

However, I don't understand why doctors, the NIH and public health officials haven't been explaining the facts long before now. It seems odd that no one talked about it until there was a vaccine that would prevent it.

Years ago, when I went to a new doctor for a female exam, he asked the standard questions about whether I was sexually active and had multiple partners. I asked what that had to do with cervical cancer, and he told me about HPV. It was clear to me that he wouldn't have explained anything had I not asked.

At the time, I had been married for many years, so I didn't think it applied to me, and forgot it. I was unexpectedly widowed about four years ago and am concerned about many things I thought would never concern me. I was quite sexually active when I was in my teens (I'm 57 now), so I guess I'm lucky in that I've never had an abnormal pap smear. However, I can't understand why the doctors have not been routinely explaining the facts about HPV for years. The only reason I can fathom for it is that perhaps they thought if cervical cancer is caused by a virus, other viruses might cause it too, causing another stigma for cancer patients. However, if I became infected with HPV, and it led to cervical cancer, I'd be furious if my gyn hadn't told me the facts.

FYI - I also read that there is some evidence that oral sex with a man infected with HPV may cause oral cancer.

Thanks! You are right, you get kind of worried about it...but now I know that I am safe! : )

The point of the "tell some one" campaign is to get you to ask your doctor about the HPV virus, your doctor will ask you if you are sexually active and if you are not they will tell you that it is not a problem for you.
They will not tell you to get tested, BUT they will recomend that you get the vaccine that just came out.

Die from cancer, perhaps you'll rethink your stance. It's not dishonest, it's a teaser to get you to study up on it. To educate yourself.

This is a campaign to raise awareness. Awareness is entirely different than a complete education. If I'm not mistaken, one of the points of the commercial is to encourage woman and parents to discuss HPV & the vaccine with their doctor.

I hope you never watch your daughter, mother, or friend die, because they didn't get a readily available vaccine that would prevent cancer for fear that it might mean they were [shudder] sexually active. Never mind that sexuality is an integral part of humanity, and without it you wouldn't be here to post this entry.

Imagine, the horrors of a vaccine to PREVENT cancer. So few cancers are preventable. As HPV is not exclusively an STD, your entry makes a judgemental, and sadly inaccurate, statement that mirrors today's society at large.

Here's hoping that your studies to become a nurse help you come out of the stone age,
Peg
http://www.peggys-musings.blogspot.com

I'm thankful that finally someone is letting people about HPV and cervical cancer. I was diagnosed with Cervical cancer last year, and had no clue what HPV was. I have no since found out that it can cause cancer, and that Men are the carriers of this sexually transmitted disease. Unfornunately there are no test to tell if a man is infected. When I first saw the ad I was in tears, I thought finally soneone is getting it out in the public.

First of all, I don’t believe that these are actually ads, but a sort of public notice. Even if the cards are a little misleading, the free postcards, this so-called propaganda gets the word out that women need to get checked. Besides it’s the truthiness that counts.

Tons and Trees
briefly,
Laurah

I think the ad is good because it raises awareness--it's supposed to make you seek out more information. And, as an earlier comment read, there's no way you can get out all the information in just a short commercial, especially with all the other things they have to say. I'd say there are lots of dishonest ads out there, but this isn't one of them.

--
~I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.~

I teach a program called Creating Positive Relationships. We go into 6th,7th,8th and 10th grade classes and discuss STD's and Sexual Activity.  Like you, I knew, before seeing these commericals that HPV is, in reality, and STD.  I am happy that the ad is getting women to wake up and take a look at thier bodies. But the ad is so mis-leading!  It makes it sound like you can contract HPV like you would get an common cold!!
I contracted HPV from my mother. I was born with the warts in my throat. And had 31 ops. by the time I was 10 years old.  My mother STILL doesn't believe that it is and STD or that she is the reason I have it.  I am also very frustrated that there is not more information out there for those of us who were born with HPV.
I am so happy that I found this site. I thought I was the only one stewing mad about the ad : )

Several years ago I read that women who were married to men (or long term sex partners) that were NOT circumsised were at a higher risk of developing ovarian and cervical cancer. How does this coincide with that?

~~Miss Priss

I agree with you that the hpv commercial is vague... very misleading, its even offensive to me because I have HPV. THats why I've decided to do a major project on it in school this year, and raising awareness. I'll be able to create a new commercial to be aired and I also have air time on a local radio station. I was just wondering if you could give me a couple guidelines with this, because unfortunately I'm still not very well taught on this subject. I've been to a numerous amount of doctors around the country (I was sent away to a youth home so I had no choice.. ) and I've been told things that contradict themselves. It's very frustrating because when I talk to people I Don't want to give them the wrong impression of my stance on it,. If you could get back to me that would awesome, if not I understand.
THanks!

Alaina
GBeCS
buckyguns@yahoo.com

No it's not dishonest. It makes people AWARE. Better to be safe than sorry right? I've suffered from the beginning stages of Cervical cancer, have had to have several procedures and a surgery. It's been a painful ride for me and I'm only 21 years old.

I am SO happy that this is coming out....so many people are unaware of this, and don't take the precautions...and then once realized...too late. The pain and damage is done.

AS A SURVIVOR..IM GRATEFUL FOR THESE ADS.

maybe the ad is not 100% clear but it gets the point across.. they are using the scare tactic to gett there message to everyone. hpv is something that women should be aware of and that is exactly what the ad is doin. beacuse of the ad women will now check to be sure that they do not have hpv and do what they need to in order to take care of themselves. so be grateful for the ad that people who would not have known about this, now does.

I AM A CERVICAL CANCER SURVIVOR

I just wish there was information out like this 10 years ago. I am a cervical cancer survivor. At the age of 33 I had to have a radical Hysterectomy due to cervical cancer. I had regular pap test and for about a year they were abnormal. My doctory couldn't figure it out until I had a Biopsy ...TELL SOME ONE is a wonderful idea and I hope that it hits home on every female out there. I am a firm beliver that a female should be examined for all problems by a GYN EARLY!!!

I just found out I have genital warts and I am trying to figure out if my husband had an affair. We have been together 9 years, and had two children during that time. My last pap came back abnormal (ASC-H) then the warts developed a couple months later. I go for a colpo Wednesday. I thought warts appeared during times when a person is immunocompromised, like pregnancy. I have had meningitis in this time, developed cold sores, had two kids so I feel like it should have developed by now. Is it possible to have still gone through that and not have it develop until 9 years later?

I found out I had HPV my second semester of my freshman year of college. It devistated me. Since I have never heard about until I found out I had it. Later testing revealed I had the High-risk strain which is the strain that leads to cervical cancer, or at least it can. My gyno was very UNSPECIFIC about it and I only found out what I know from various research online and in books. She was unclear about what was happening to my body and how much danger I was in. She also DID NOT tell me that condoms might not be an affective way to guard against spreading it. I found out everything too late. I still am confused on where I really am and how my body is acting. I was advised to wait 6 months until I have another pap. I have alreayd had 5 since I found out I had it. A lot can happen in 6 months. I also had to have several biopsys. I was sitting on my couch not to long ago and saw the "tell someone ad" it really infuriated me. I know the ad means well but all i could think was "YOU ARE TOO LATE". Many girls have it and guys can't even be tested. the ad said NOTHING about the males. IT can cause genital warts in males to, and again GUYS CAN'T BE TESTED!boyfriend or husband or one night stand could have it an not even know, he could just be a carrier. IT also can cause infertility and chronic UTIs which I am already experiencing. If you think any of what Im saying is false, just remember, I have delt all with this first hand. The tell someone campaign does not seem drastic enough and really made me feel stupid and always makes me angry. they are too late. As usual. I tried to email the site to express my anger and there was no place (that I could find) to contact them. Your gyno will not tell you enough, you need to ask more questions and research.

Looking at HPV everyday, Its about time that someone is saying something publically about HPV. I have been in the field of Cytology a little over two years now, and many individuals (even those in health care) don't know about HPV. People need to know about HPV so they can get information on it and women can get regular pap tests. Awareness is awareness! People need to know it is out there and what the risks are. I see abnormal paps in young girls all the time. These girls aren't aware at that young age what risks they take. I have started a program in my community to inform these young women about their bodies, STD's, and Cancers associated with their reproductive organs. I have been going to high schools and talking with young women about these things. Some of the girls have seen the commercials and it has encouraged them to ask questions. I think that is a very positive result. Even if Merck is trying to push their vaccine, people can't get it without talking to their doctor first. I was very happy to see this commercial and I hope it continues to air for a while. When people ask questions, they seek knowledge. I just hope I can do my part to give them the correct knowledge. I have been "telling someone" about HPV since I started in this field and I hope others will do the same.

I have a question. I have cervical HPV and I was diagnosed by the new HPV test, not by my pap. My pap was normal last August, but since I was 30 my GYN. gave me the hpv test along with pap. My pap came back normal but hpv came back positive. I completely freaked out because I didn't know what hpv was. She told me to come back in 6 months for a repeat pap. So, I did, that came back normal again but hpv positive again. She wanted to do a colpo. (and doesnt' take benefits, so I had to pay out of pocket for each exam). At that point, I went for a second opinion because I thought a colpo was just for women with an abnormal result? My new doc didn't think I needed one and I have to go back again next month for another pap. I guess my question is...how common is it to have hpv and a normal pap? And is there a chance I will never have problems from HPV? I don't smoke, never have and they say smoking can make it worse.

HPV is not strictly an STD!!

It is a common missconception that HPV is only contracted through sexual contact. A recent study showed that greater than 80% of women will contract some strain of HPV before the age of 50. That's alot of women! I am sure that all of these affected women have not had indiscriminate sexual encounters. Also, cervical cancer (which is most often times caused by HPV infection) is the third leading cause of cancer death in women. While I agree that the Gardasil ad is vague, I feel that it is necessarily so. If Merck blatently stated that it was a preventative therapy for genital warts and HPV many people would ignore it because they do not think that they could possibly have these infections. The current recommendation is that girls between the ages of 9-26 receive the vaccine. I agree with the previous poster that the CDC is an excellent source of accurate information. It is common missconceptions like MikeyEli's that stigmatize women with HPV.

I just had an abnormal pap. I am 39 and found out I have HPV I freaked out. I have 3 small children and knew it was an STD but didn't know I had it. I had regular pap smears all the year before.  I didn't have signs of it. Then my gyn did a several tests and then a LEEP.. I think the ads about TELL Some one is great. STD's are one thing but some strains of HPV can cause cancer and that is serious. They are considering making a HPV a vaccine for girls before the enter school. TELL SOMEONE!!

The "Tell Someone" ads are deceptive about the contraction of HPV on purpose. This is America .. information about sex is 'taboo' and embarassing ... even if that information could save your life. The commercial is produced by Merck ... who has recently gained approval for the HPV vaccine 'Gardasil'. Only in America would this vaccine come under scrutiny by the religious right as 'promoting promiscuity'. Totally unbelievable !!!!! Merck has no choice but to be deceptive and cautious about the contraction of HPV .. both for their financial benefit and the benefit of women's health in general. A pretty good article on Mercks attempt to bridge the 'cultural divide' was recently published in Time magazine (http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1206813,00.html?cnn=yes). For anybody from the religious right reading this ... I have three words for you .... Vagina, Vagina, Vagina !!!! Embarassed yet !?!?!

I am 28 years old, And been dealing with HPV for the last 8 years. I have also over the years have found out that my mother,and my aunt had Cervical Cancer.[We don't know if was from HPV.] However if it was, Is it possible that HPV can be genetic? I'am asking because i don't know. And i was told i was a carrier. I also have 3 girls of my own and i don't want to misinform them.

No Ad Dishonesty - Awareness is the objective.

It's clear that those who have lived the experience of HPV have more of an appreciation for the effort made to raise awareness of the HPV issue. I am one of those who have lived through the horror of hearing the recommendation of a full hysterectomy. As a woman who hoped for children, I was devasted to say the least. As it turns out research is a 'womans' best friend. After much research I went back to my Gyno and suggested we try a less radical (albeit, still difficult) path.

I too cried when I saw the first ad. I have tried telling every close friend and family member about HPV. The info was received with a mild form of disbelief. Their reaction was 'how could this be so widespread, I have never heard of this before'. It is our human nature to think we are well informed. The ads do exactly what they were meant to do ... raise awareness. It is only the shortest version of the ad that does not reveal that HPV is an STD, the rest of the integrated campaign does indeed state this fact. There was no dishonesty ... the push to the website was the appropriate measure.

In the end, if the campaign makes a woman think more carefully about her next sexual encounter, isn't the short term fear worth it? And while I am quite prudent about my sexual encounters, I wish that someone had told me about HPV. Perhaps I would have made better choices... I certainly do now. And while caution and condoms aren't full proof, the stats tell me that these help reduce the possibility of future infections.

fyi, Merck's online ad for "Tell Someone" -- Merck Gardisil 'Tell Someone' 728x90

Thank God for pages and ads like this that let women know that they are not alone in the struggle against HPV and cervical cancer

Does anyone happen to know the link where i can see the commercial now?

nice post. i totattly agree

I would rather Merck make millions than see women die. This vaccine can save lives and that is what we should care about.The ad must work because we are telling someone. That is a good thing. Before I worked at a pathology lab I had no idea what HPV was or how you got it. Merck is doing something for women that not to many years ago nobody would have cared about.They are saving our lives.

Merck has started this "Tell someone" campaign because they have just received FDA approval for a HPV vaccine that will soon be recommended to be given to every girl in the US. Merck will make millions from this.

I was diagnosed with HPV this past year after I had a PAP come back as abnormal. Funnily enough, I'd asked to be tested for STDs this time around, but it seems that HPV wasn't included in that list of diseases/infections as the sample had to be retested for HPV after they found the abnormality (or something like that). I would just like to say that I spent hours online researching. I also took comfort in talking to my friend who had also been diagnosed previously after I got the news. I was completely freaked out. I wish I'd found this web site/seen this ad then, because I think that the web page is pretty informative and fairly easy to navigate your way around. Hearing the news that you might have something that's potentially cancerous is extremely scary. Thankfully, the colposcopy didn't turn up anything worrisome. But I don't wish the completely freaked out, scared, and helpless feeling that I got when I first heard upon anyone. Anything that serves to inform women about the disease (even if it IS sponsored by a drug company), ANYTHING that talks about it or provides you information about what could potentially be the issue is most definitely welcomed. Education and knowledge are extremely powerful things.

The thing about the ad though, is that it gets you interested. it MAKES you want to find out more. The fact that the person that originally posted went and spent the time to click the site to find out more means that the ad is probably succesfully doing what it inteded to do.

The name of the medicine gives clue to the nature of the disease known as HPV.  Gardnerella is also a bacterial/yeast infection that is an STD.  I knew that both my husband and his partner were boffing their secretary because the partner's wife and I came down with a gross fish smelling infection that is found in women who have multiple sexual partners at the same time (meaning within brief periods of time).  The partner's wife incorrectly was diagnosed as having Step B and I was diagnosed as having a bad yeast infection, which I never had before in my life until the infidelity was discovered, we were re-tested and an actual lab test showed (not the symptom diagnoses our doctors made previously) we had an STD.  Not all cases of this have the offensive symptoms, such as the smell.  I just got real unlucky.

It has long been held that cervical cancer is resultant or related to multiple sexual partners.

Not only does "sleeping around" have physical downfalls but I don't understand why we seem to require to find our liberation, ourselves, by treating ourselves in the most base and casual way possible.  Not a moralist, just one who has been there and done that.

I see women making declarations of individuality by treating themselves like (prison term) a hang sock.

just food for thought since again, there seems to be grave biological reprocussions from frivolous behavior.

I am thrilled that someone is finally paying attention to the causes of cervical cancer no matter what the reason....my mom died when I was 17 because of cervical cancer. It started out as HPV, my mother was sexually active at a young age and was not aware of the consequences. Me and my two younger brothers were left without a mother. If only she had seen these ads, maybe then she would've gotten checked sooner and I wouldn't have had to grow up without her. That was 12 years ago. I have been telling people about it all this time. I am finally glad I am not alone.

If you want to know the facts about HPV go to the Center for Disease Controls web site (cdc.gov) they have a great section on HPV and many questions are answered. I work for a pathology lab and we test for HPV. What most people don't know about HPV is that, it can be transmitted through skin to skin contact you don't have to have sex to get it. Before the ad came out how many of you knew what HPV was or that you could be a carrier? The ad is what got you thinking, the ads not there to scare you, its to inform you. Most women get HPV in their teens to 20's and not show up as cancer until your 30's. It is recommended that all women over the age of 30 get tested.Please go to cdc.gov and educate yourselves.

ive been diagonised with hpv since 1999.first the doctors lasered it.the second time they done a cold knife cone.i go every three months for a repap.since ive been diagonised ive got 2 healthy and beautiful children.i had hpv through both pregancies.ive had one normal pap since oct.1999.the doctor is now talking about a hysterectomyand im only 35years old.

Hey there - I was looking online for more about Merck's "Tell Someone" campaign, and I found this forum. Quite frankly, I'm a little offended by those criticizing this great (and much needed) effort. Last February, a month after my annual gyno visit, I was diagnosed as having a lesion on my cervix, a lesion caused by HPV. At this point, I still have to find out which strain of the virus I have (only a handful - if that - of the dozens of strains cause cervical cancer). Nevertheless, on a scale of 1-10, 1 being cancer-free and 10 being full-blown cancer, what I have puts me about halfway up the scale. I'm only 21 years old. And the irony? I had never had unprotected sex before being with my current boyfriend. And even then, we both went for STD screening before having sex without a condom. Both of us tested negative. Scary, right? Hence, one of the main points of the "Tell Someone" campaign. There is no test besides a female Pap smear that can detect HPV and the cellular changes it causes. There is no screening for HPV for either men or women; it's not covered in the battery of tests you undergo at a STD screeening. That's why it's so important for women to see their gynocologist at least once a year. In regards to the so-called dishonesty of these ads: What do you people want from these campaigners? First of all, HPV is a complicated family of viruses, each with its own charasteristics, risks of cancer(if any), treatments, and cure rates, so how much information do you expect Merck to fit into a 2-minute commercial slot? The most important point to be made (which Merck does) is that HPV is linked to cervical cancer can be detected by a pap smear. (One stat they don't mention - which I think they should - is that HPV is to blame for nearly 97% of cervical cancer cases.) Second of all, they don't call it an STD for two reasons, I think. One, like someone else on here mentioned, it's not necessarily "sexually" transmitted. And two, there's a stigma that's attached to STD's as we all know. But HPV is not your typical potentially sexually transmitted virus: millions of Americans have it, it's not a sign of deviant behavior or promiscuity, and it's not a sign of infidelity. These aren't characteristics that people associate with STD's. So why add stigma where it's not needed? My advice to those who wish to criticize this campaign for its "dishonesty": 1. Know your facts before you start hurling stones, and 2. be glad that someone is bringing light to this correlation.

Speaking of inaccurate information, HPV is NOT an STD. Although it can be transmitted sexually, you can get HPV through non-sexual transmission. I know because I was diagnosed with HPV when I was 13 and I hadnt had sex. Everyone should know that there is no cure for HPV, you can have the warts removed with cream, lasers or acid but once you get it, you will ALWAYS have it even if you have no external symptoms. And finally certain types of HPV can cause cancer but the commercial "tell someone" doesnt go far enough! Cervical cell abnormalities can be detected by a yearly pap smear but HPV can cause vulvar cancer. Squamous cell carcenoma of the vulvar can be caused by HPV and it does not necessarily show up on a pap smear.

necely done

Just found out have hpv....have been married for 12 years - is my partner having an affair with someone who has it? Or could it have been in my own system from my younger days and has now just appeared. I have searched and searched for response to this answer - anyone can help me?

Here is some info for anyone who was wondering:

HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) Can cause genital warts, but not always. There are several varieties of it, and the ones that stay in your system for more than two years are the ones that will do it. These are also the varieties that can cause cervical cancer, because sometimes instead of a few cells mutating, the DNA inside them is damaged and they grow out of control.

There is a vaccine, available in Europe that has proven 100% effective in preventing HPV in clinical trials. It is not on the market in the US because the religious right has lobbied congress and convinced them it "might promote promiscuity"

Excuse me, but can't everyone be promiscuous if they want to with no interference from anyone? Isn't that constitutional in the freedom of assembly clause? I am sure if there was a disease that made a man's penis fall off they'd be all over that vaccine like white on rice.

i thought HPV was what caused warts or is that something different?