Some people are in favor of this shot due to the many benefits while others are concerned that this shot sends the wrong message to young women.

“If we have a vaccine that can prevent a virus from occurring, then people should take it,” said Susan Peterson, the Department Chair of Nursing at American River College.

Human Papillomavirus, most commonly known as HPV, is a name used to classify a group of more than 100 viruses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over 30 of these viruses are related to sexually transmitted infections, including high-risk versions that can lead to cervical cancer. More than 20 million sexually active people become infected with HPV at some point throughout their lives. About 50 percent of these people are unaware of the infection and continue to pass it on to various partners throughout their lifetimes. The only time a person is aware of the infection is when they are diagnosed with genital warts or when a pap smear comes back abnormal.

Many women are affected by cervical cancer each year, say Curtis Allen, a spokesperson for CDC.

“About 10,000 get cervical cancer each year… in the United States,” said Allen.“…3,700 will die each year.”

The makers of Gardasil,Merck and Company, say that when this shot is administered three times over a six-month period, the vaccine helped prevent all of the women from contracting HPV type six, 11, 16 and 18. Type six and 11 cause 90 percent of genital warts, while types 16 and 18 cause 70 percent of cervical cancer. It is recommended that the

vaccine be administered to females ages 9 to 26. The vaccine is most effective before a woman becomes sexually active. Side effects are minimal, consisting of pain at the injection site, fever, nausea, and fainting.

“Fainting is normal [side effect] of an immunization given to a young woman,” said Allen.

Due to large amounts of different virus strains, even if someone contracts HPV, it is highly unlikely that a woman would have been infected by all four viruses thus still allowing many women to benefit, even if the shot is administered after a woman has been sexually active.

While this shot is designed to help more women protect themselves from cervical cancer, some people, especially parents of young women, feel that this shot is sending the wrong message. Other’s feel there aren’t enough clinical studies to substantiate the benefits and determine there are no long-term effects into young woman’s childbearing years.

“The tricky part is getting parents to give this shot to their 12 year old daughters,” said Peterson.

For some parents, it becomes a matter of choosing how to protect their children and from what.

Carmen Cassells, a single mother of three daughters, says she plans to equip her daughters with as many tools to protect them from STDs and unwanted pregnancies.

“It’s not a moral issue, it’s a health issue,” says Cassells. “Although I teach my daughters morals, it’s about being able to protect them from poor choices they might make in the future…as a mother, that’s part of my responsibility.”

Although not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States, GlaxoSmithKline

created Cervarix, another vaccine created to help prevent certain types of cervical cancers. Currently, Cervarix is only approved by the United Nations. The disadvantage of this vaccine only covers types 16 and 18; not four like Gardasil.

Recently, medical experts are recommending Gardasil for males aged 9 to 26, according to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune. Although boys and young men cannot get cervical cancer, they can be carriers of these common strains, thus prompting the recommendation for males to be immunized as well.

Many of the major insurance companies, such as Blue Cross, Health Net, and MediCal, a state-funded health insurance program for the poor, do not cover this shot. The cost of the shot is $360 for the three-series shots.

“We have approved [Gardasil] for our Vaccines for Children program,” said Allen.

Few clinics, such as South City Health Center, are offering the shots, but are only administering it to certain age groups.

“The only way we are giving out the shot is through our Vaccine for Children program,” said Roberta, a nurse, whom declined to give her last name citing safety, said. “At this moment, the state pays for the vaccines. We are not offering it to the adult population at this time.”

Planned Parenthood and the American River College Health Center, are not offering the shot.

“We are not going to offer [Gardisal] at this time,” said Susan Mykita, Registered Nurse. “Even if we did offer the shot…we don’t bill insurance…people with insurance would go to their doctors if it was covered and people without insurance probably wouldn’t be able to afford [Gardisal] due to the high cost.”