Gardasil Facts and Expectations

Most of us have probably seen the Gardasil commercials. They feature vaccination shots for young women in order to avoid contracting human papillomavirus (HPV), specifically types 6, 11, 16 and 18. HPV is a common cause for cervical cancer.

The vaccination does not treat existing infection, though women who test positive for the infection can still take it as a preventative measure against the sexually transmitted strains of the disease. An estimated 90 percent of genital warts cases are caused from types 6 and 11. An estimated 70 percent of cervical cancers are caused from types 16 and 18, in addition to most HPV-induced vulva, vaginal, anal, and penile cancers.

For maximum effect, young girls who are not yet sexually active should undergo the vaccination. However, young women are able to take it as well, but not past 26 years old because clinical trials found that it was not effective between the ages of 27-45. Also, the vaccination is not meant as a substitute for annual Pap smears.

Gardasil's side effects are similar to most other vaccinations. The side effects include:

• pain, swelling, itching, bruising, and redness at the injection site
• headache
• fever
• nausea
• dizziness
• vomiting
• fainting

Those commercials also don’t tell you three things:

1. Men can also take Gardasil. For them, it provides protection against anal cancer, genital warts, and some HPV-induced precancerous lesions and penile cancer. The same age range exists for men as for women, between the age of 9-26.
2. The vaccination has three installments. You’ll get the first, then the second two months later, and the third six months after that.
3. The shots burn. They are administered with a tiny, thin needle that only causes a small prick (especially if your nurse practitioner punches a portion of your skin first, as seen in the photo above), but the serum burns as it spreads. The good news is that the pain fades after a minute or so, and all you’ll have to deal with is the typical soreness around the injection area after any regular shot.

Gardasil is covered by Select Plan for Women. So if you don’t have health insurance yet, that’s not a problem. Ask your local Adagio Health facilities or free clinics about it and get protected.