What You Need to Know About the HPV Vaccination Gardasil

The cervical cancer vaccine is getting closer to making its way into the American health care system. The vaccine named Gardasil was developed by Professor Ian Frazer in Brisbane, Australia. The vaccine fights off the sexually transmitted virus HPV.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with HPV, it is the second deadliest cancer among women. HPV stands for Human papillomavirus. This virus causes abnormal tissue growth such as warts which are commonly associated with different types of cancer. While there are over 100 different types of HPV, there may not be any symptoms. The amazing fact about the vaccine is that it can prevent cervical cancer in women by 100.00% in lab studies.

HPV is the most commonly spread sexual disease. It is estimated that there are approximately 20 million people infected with HPV. According to the L.A. Times "Gardasil blocks four strains of human papillomavirus. Two strains are thought to be responsible for 70% of the 15,000 cases of cervical cancer diagnosed and the 4,000 deaths caused by it in the United States each year. Worldwide, 400,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and 200,000 die of it. The other two strains it blocks are behind about 50% of genital wart cases." (L.A. Times).

With these astounding statistics we should be welcoming this vaccine to our country with open arms. This will protect women and increase the odds of protecting young girls who are susceptible for HPV. The hope of the matter is that girls as young as nine years old will be given the vaccination. The studies show that it is best to give the vaccination over a period of time for the best results. The estimated way that the vaccine would need to be distributed would be a series of three shots over a six month period. The cost of the vaccination will range from $300.00-$500.00 for the series of lifesaving inoculations.

The clinical studies for Gardasil have proven substantial results. In one of the clinical studies it was shown that after four years after being given the vaccine that 94% of the women were still HPV and cancer free. It is hopeful that if Gardasil makes it to the market that it will become the "second vaccine to protect against cancer." The FDA is expected to reach a decision by June 8, 2006.

While Gardasil is a fairly safe, it is highly recommended that women who already have HPV do not use Gardasil. In the case studies for Gardasil, women who used the vaccine and already had HPV gave birth to children suffering from birth defects.

There are of course people who are against the use of this vaccine because they worry that if it is a mandatory vaccine along with other childhood vaccines that it will in fact give a push for teenage sex. While this of course is not the intention, some people choose to find flaws in this miraculous vaccine.