01-05-2009, 05:45 AM
Actually, it's available down to age 9!The controversy is stupid, to be blunt. We give infants the hepatitis B vaccine (and hep-B is primarily a sexually transmitted disease). There is no reason to expect that a girl is going to suddenly go out and start sleeping around because she got a shot that will decrease her chances of"someday"getting cervical cancer by 70%.50% of females will be infected with HPV within 4 years of the first time they have sex, and 80% by the time they reach menopause. Not all HPV infections result in cervical cancer or genital warts, but it isn't worth the risk if there's a way to prevent it.I feel that it's a great vaccine, one of the most significant advances in women's health in the last decade! If you are in the approved age range (9-26), please get this vaccine. And encourage any girls you know who qualify to do the same!
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