Controversy over Gardasil Vaccine
Gardasil, an HPV vaccine developed by Merck and Co. was designed to protect woman against four strains of the HPV virus. These four strains are the ones that are mainly responsible for approximately 70% of cancer cases. As good as this vaccine sounds, it took a very long time for the FDA to finally approve it. However, now that it is approved it is a major cause of some serious controversy involving promiscuity of pre-teens.
This vaccine is mainly requested for females from the ages 9-26, however it is suggested that it is issued before the female becomes sexually active. For safety purposes, the main age requested is before the teenage year, which is frowned upon by most guardians. A result parents have become very upset and feel as if this vaccine will promote sexual activity and promiscuity at an early age. Another main reason for the controversy is that parents feel as if there kids think that this vaccine protects against all strains of the HPV virus and are completely protected, when in actuality it only protects against four. Lastly, there is always that set of naïve parents that think that such a virus could never be obtained by there children and that it is a waste of time and money.
This is one of the biggest controversies ever created by a vaccine especially since it involves the increasing promiscuity of pre-teens. Many are unaware how common the virus is and how serious it can be if one of the cancerous strains are contracted.
Gardasil, an HPV vaccine developed by Merck and Co. was designed to protect woman against four strains of the HPV virus. These four strains are the ones that are mainly responsible for approximately 70% of cancer cases. As good as this vaccine sounds, it took a very long time for the FDA to finally approve it. However, now that it is approved it is a major cause of some serious controversy involving promiscuity of pre-teens.
This vaccine is mainly requested for females from the ages 9-26, however it is suggested that it is issued before the female becomes sexually active. For safety purposes, the main age requested is before the teenage year, which is frowned upon by most guardians. A result parents have become very upset and feel as if this vaccine will promote sexual activity and promiscuity at an early age. Another main reason for the controversy is that parents feel as if there kids think that this vaccine protects against all strains of the HPV virus and are completely protected, when in actuality it only protects against four. Lastly, there is always that set of naïve parents that think that such a virus could never be obtained by there children and that it is a waste of time and money.
This is one of the biggest controversies ever created by a vaccine especially since it involves the increasing promiscuity of pre-teens. Many are unaware how common the virus is and how serious it can be if one of the cancerous strains are contracted.
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