Gardasil, the Cancer Vaccine: What the Manufacturer's Package Insert Tells Us

Few vaccines have generated as much controversy as Gardasil. Conservative religious groups decry that it encourages premarital sex and promiscuity, anti-vaccination groups criticize the lack of safety studies, and about 20 state governments are doing their best to make this "miraculous cancer vaccine" mandatory for young girls. Parents who resist this new vaccine are being put on the spot for selfishly leaving their daughters exposed to a dangerous sexually transmitted disease. Scientists are revealing evidence that it may also protect boys and men.

So what is the big deal about Gardasil? What is it supposed to do, and what is it actually doing?

"One Less"

Visit Gardasil.com and you will learn how you can become "One less life affected by cervical cancer." Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Types 6, 11, 16 and 18 cause "70% of cervical cancer cases" and "90% of genital warts cases." The virus is spread through any kind of genital contact, not just intercourse.
People can carry the virus without knowing it and unwittingly pass it on. The Centers For Disease Control estimate that 20 million people in the United States had HPV in 2005.

It is worth noting that not all of those cases are caused by the strains present Gardasil. Gardasil protects against 4 types of HPV. There a over 100, with 30-40 of them being sexually transmitted.

What Are The Cervical Cancer Rates?

According to Cancer.org, "Only some women with pre-cancerous changes of the cervix will develop cancer. This process usually takes several years but sometimes can happen in less than a year. For most women, pre-cancerous cells will remain unchanged and go away without any treatment. But if these pre-cancers are treated, almost all true cancers can be prevented." Between 1955 and 1992, cervical cancer rates dropped over 70% due to pap screenings. Most cases occur in middle-aged women, and it is rare in women under age 20. The 5-year survival rate for cervical cancer is 72%.