HPV and Cervical Dysplasia: A Naturopathic Approach
Product Description
In this up-to-date booklet, naturopath Dr. Jane Semple introduces you to the human papilloma virus (HPV), the symptoms it causes, its connection with cancer, and the vaccines and conventional medical treatments used to f… More >>
HPV and Cervical Dysplasia: A Naturopathic Approach
I fully respect and support naturopathic medicine as a profession. As a nurse practitioner, I frequently refer patients to the local naturopaths and acupuncturists for a more comprehensive approach to health care and for the issues that western medicine do not manage so well (there are plenty). I was very excited to find this title, and was glad to find many potentially helpful recommendations to give to patients with high-risk HPV and dysplasia.
However, reading this mini-book brings into question all that fore-mentioned respect, as I find it irresponsible to publish medical advice based solely on anecdotal observations and 25 year old studies done with tiny samples of women. Worse than that, this book felt more like an advertisement for the ND than it did an objective review of the health issue with treatment recommendations. Statements like, “I have had 100 percent success in returning dysplasia to normal and keeping tissue normal, with supplements” is off-putting and also awkardly inserted in the section on ASCUS paps, which is not indicative of a dysplastic condition.
The truth is, 92% of women will clear HPV on their own within 8-24 mos (Apgar et al, 2008) without any intervention. I certainly have no dispute against using nutritional and herbal supplements to boost the immune system, but to indicate that they are NECESSARY as part of the healing process is inaccurate.
Semple states that she could not find evidence of the success rate of various conventional treatments for cervical dysplasia. It’s true that it may not be found on your standard Google search, but there are loads of data out there in the professional literature. As a practicing health care provider, I would expect that she would avail herself of it.
Finally, one line that truly disturbed me: as her first listed “con” of the HPV vaccine: “Gardisal (sic) only targets four high-risk serotypes of HPV. Since there are over 100 serotypes of HPV DNA, and since viruses change so quickly, new high-risk strains can seemingly pop up overnight.” Now, regardless of how one feels about the Gardisil vaccine, and even if it were likely (it’s not; the other types do not appear to have oncogenic potential) this is a preposterous reason NOT to vaccinate. Faulty logic; like saying that one shouldn’t ever use a smoke detector because eventually the batteries will wear out…
Again, please do not misconstrue this as a diatribe against alternative medicine. Instead, take it as a complaint from a disappointed reader who was hoping for a more balanced discussion along with naturopathic recommendations for this common women’s health condition. I continue to hope for the day when naturopathic folks can lose the chip on the shoulder and allopathic folks can stop being defensive: I think it will take more rigorous science from the former, and more tolerance from the latter. Having said that, I’m off to work on my tolerance.
Rating: 2 / 5