Mike Check

Yesterday my Facebook feed ran rampant with discussions of an interview Michael Douglas did with The Guardian newspaper.  It was said that he stated: 

 "...his cancer had been caused by having contracted the human papillomavirus (HPV) through oral sex."

I'm almost positive that pediatrician offices and primary care physician phone lines are ringing crazier than ........ (I tried to think of something witty, and just couldn't think of anything!!  Feel free to fill in the blank in the comments section..LOL).

So anyway, yea, the doctors are going to be returning a LOT of calls today.  

How could this one small interview, cause so much ruckus?  I've seen quite a few debates and discussions on HPV, cancer and everything in between since yesterday.  Michael Douglas even appeared on a few morning shows this morning.  

His rep is now trying to clear the air, by saying: 

"Michael Douglas did not say cunnilingus was the cause of his cancer. It was discussed that oral sex is a suspected cause of certain oral cancers as doctor's in the article point out but he did not say it was the specific cause of his personal cancer." - USA Today

But the "damage" was already done. Women are in a panic at the water cooler on how their man would rather go hungry than to get "coochie-mouth cancer like that guy from Basic Instinct".  *sigh*

All jokes aside, I just urge people to do your research!!  Read more about HPV than what appears on your Twitter & FB newsfeed.  Don't let PerezHilton.com be your leading source on what the virus is, and how it affects your body. 

I found a few good sites to give you more information:  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/HPV

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/cervical

While I am not claiming Michael Douglas of doing this, but we must all be cognitive of the fact that folks don't always have our best interest at heart.  I believe Michael thought he was going to lose his life when told he had stage 4 throat cancer.  I will NEVER try to mitigate a survivors experience.  But I will also remember that a celebrity who "speaks out" about a disease or issue, could also have their pockets lined in gold by the Pharmaceutical companies.  We don't always know a person's angle, which is why I urge you to do your own research, and not fuel the fire by spreading misinformation.

While you were worrying about flavored dental dams and bedazzling your cooch, these events have occured:

And this!!

Whoa!!  LOL!

How has all this talk about HPV affected you?  Are you leaning towards reading more about the vaccination?  Has it not swayed you at all?