Female students can now obtain Gardasil, the vaccine for cervical cancer, at Student Health Services.
Each year 3, 700 American women die from cervical cancer, according to the AP/Daily News. It is most often caused by the Human Papillovirus.
The Center for Disease Control reports that one out of every two sexually active individuals will contract HPV, which is also known to cause genital warts as well as precancerous lesions of the vulva and vagina.
Merck, the manufacturer and distributor of Gardasil, recommends females ages 9 to 26 be vaccinated. Gardasil works by targeting four HPV strains that cause 90% of genital warts cases and 70% of cervical cancer cases.
On Sept. 19, the Kaiser Daily Women’s Health Policy Report revealed Gardasil also provides immunization for 10 other HPV strains.
The CDC reported that research is underway to see if the vaccine can also work for boys and men.
Nurse Angie Cantrell, director of Student Health, said Gardasil is administered as a series of three shots over six months.
Each shot costs about $140. However, Student Health routinely hosts health fairs which offer an array of vaccines, including Gardasil, to female students 18 and under for $5. The next health fair is scheduled for Oct. 29.
Students over 18 should check whether or not their insurance covers the vaccine. If not, the shots can be purchased one at a time at Student Health.
So far two female students have received the vaccine in addition to an unknown number who were vaccinated at the last health fair. Many female students have expressed interest, Cantrell said, but the cost is a major deterrent.
Cantrell added that since Gardasil does not provide protection for all strains of HPV, females should still get their annual Pap smears, which are also available at Student Health. If cervical cancer is detected early, she said, the chances for recovery are excellent, over 90 percent.
For more information, students can contact Student Health at 326-2235. Located at Student Center Room 125, it is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.