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Jun 27, 2006 5:10 pm US/Eastern
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New Vaccine Could Prevent Cervical Cancer
by Dr. Maria Simbra
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
A vaccine proven to prevent cervical cancer could soon be mandatory for public school students.
If it is approved, it will then be up to individual states to decide whether to add the vaccine to the list of vaccinations students have to have before they start school.
The gardasil vaccine is an important advance in public health.
It can prevent a sexually transmitted disease.
It can also prevent cervical cancer.
In the U.S., this kills 3000 women a year -- that's almost 10 a day.
But the vaccine isn't without controversy.
And that's what the advisory panel will be deliberating this week.
A vaccine to prevent infection and cancer -- seems like something everyone should have.
Three out of four people get HPV within five years of becoming sexually active.
It can cause genital warts and cervical cancer.
The vaccine will be given to girls nine to 13.
The idea is to protect them before they become sexually active.
And for the most part, parents want their daughters to be immunized.
"When you ask do you want your daughter to have this, they almost universally say yes," said Dr. Donald Middleton of UPMC St. Margaret. "They don't think about it coupled with sexual activity now -- they think about it in the long run, in the future."
Some people worry it might encourage sexual activity, but Dr. Middleton says it's actually the opposite.
"People become more educated about what they can get through sexual activity, and people are more responsible, not less," said Dr. Middleton.
Even so, making it a mandatory vaccine in order to attend school will be a weighty decision for the advisory panel.
The vaccine will be most effective if everyone gets it.
But it's not protecting against disease you can get through casual contact or just sitting in a classroom with someone, like the chickenpox.
The vaccine protects against the four strains of HPV that cause most of the cases of warts and cervical cancer.
But because there are other strains, you can still get HPV even if you're immunized.
And you still need to get pap tests.
The vaccine is a series of three shots over several months.
It costs $360.
And you'll want to check with your insurance company to see if it's covered.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)