Should I Get the Gardasil Vaccine?

A vaccine called Gardasil has been becoming commonplace these past few years. You may have seen its commercials, asking you to be "One Less" victim to cervical cancer. The Gardasil vaccine has been said to protect against certain forms of the human papillomavirus, or HPV, which causes approximately 70% of all cervical cancer cases. Gardasil is said to also prevent 90% of all cases of genital warts. Gardasil is manufactured by Merck & Company and was FDA approved in 2006. Gardasil, which is given in three doses over a six-month time span, is recommended for females ages 9 to 26.

Gardasil has not been without controversy. In 2007, Texas governor Rick Perry ordered that all sixth grade girls in his state must get the vaccine. in 2008, it began law that all immigrant women from ages 11 to 26 receive the Gardasil vaccine before they come to the United States.

Is this right? Should Gardasil be a required immunization, like the measles shot or the vaccine for whooping cough? I do not think so. Here are a few reasons why Gardasil is not worth the cost or the risks associated with it.

1. The Gardasil vaccine is so brand-new, we do not know its long-term effects.

Not only do all vaccines run the risk of having side effects, but the fact that it even says on the Gardasil website that this vaccine is "not recommended for pregnant women", makes me ponder if Gardasil could somehow interefere with fetal development. The vaccine contains virus-like particles; what if they causes birth defects? If this were the case, and getting the Gardasil vaccine becomes so widespread that the majority of 12 year olds are being inoculated, it could harm a whole generation. With the children of thalidomide, the problems were caught quickly, since the women taking the drug were already pregnant. If Gardasil does negatively affect fetal development, the birth defects would not be noticed for over a decade, when the vaccine recipients begin conceiving.

2. I have a problem with the way Gardasil is being advertised.

The wording really gets me. In commercials, Gardasil is being dubbed the "cervical cancer vaccine". This is not the case at all. Gardasil is an HPV vaccine, protecting against certain forms of the human papillomavirus. Being known as the "cervical cancer vaccine" is really detrimental to women's health; it could cause women to neglect getting their Pap tests. If a women gets the Gardasil vaccine, she may believe she is immune to getting cervical cancer and she may postpone her routine checkups.

3. Gardasil is costly. If you practice safe sex, you do not need this vaccine!

Gardasil should not be advertised as a cervical cancer vaccine. Gardasil should instead be advertised as an STD vaccine. If you practice safe sex and wear a condom, then your chances of getting an STD like HPV are cut down significantly.

Gardasil costs an average of $300 for its three shots, and some insurance companies still do not cover it. For me personally, I am in the age group that can get the Gardasil vaccine, but I am happily married and know I will only be having sex with one person. I do not intend on spending that much money on a precautionary measure. If you intend on staying faithful to your partner, than Gardasil is not a necessity for you.

By getting the Gardasil vaccine, it gives the recipient the idea that she can be promiscious. But Gardasil does not prevent against other sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia, AIDS, or gonorrhea. Gardasil should not be an alternative to teaching about safe sex.

Works Cited

"Gardasil". Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.

Gardasil.com

"Gardasil Requirement for Immigrants Stirs Backlash." http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122282354408892791.html?mod=googlenews_wsj