The new vaccine for the human papilloma virus has been heavily advertised by the mass media and remains a hot topic in women’s health discussion. But you couldn’t tell by looking at the number of vaccine recipients here on campus. Student Health Services reports only having given out 150 vaccinations against cervical cancer. The low number is somewhat disconcerting considering that undergraduates are at the outer edge of the age brackets of those eligible to receive it.

“All places administering the vaccine, following the approved licensing, offer it to females between the ages of 11-26, including females 26 years old,” said Evelyn Wiener, Director of Student Health Services. “It does not matter whether they are sexually active.”

The vaccine comes in three doses given over a six month span. Unfortunately, insurance does not cover the price of $130 per injection. Another impediment may be that even those medical providers that support the vaccine do so with hesitation since it is a new therapy.

“The vaccine offers a lot of promise in preventing the two strands most commonly linked to cervical cancer. But we have to balance the excitement with the concerns,” said Wiener. “It does not protect against other strains that could cause cervical cancer. We’ll only better know potential side affects after millions of doses have been administered.”

But precautions are associated with almost every type of medical therapy from the most minor of surgical procedures to over-the-counter medications. Thriftiness, trepidation nor laziness should stand as reasons preventing female students to at least inquire about the HPV vaccine. Remember if you wait too long, you are no longer eligible. To learn more, check out SHS’s site.

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