The HPV Vaccine (also known as GARDASIL) is a vaccine given in a series of three shots to help protect against human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, and can infect the skin, genital area, and the lining of the cervix. The HPV Vaccine can protect against cervical cancer, genital warts, and cancers of the anus, vagina, and vulva. Learn more about HPV and the vaccine with the CDC and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Although many parents in the U.S. have been reluctant to vaccinate their children, Australia has seen great success with their HPV vaccination program. In 2007 Australia began a free HPV vaccination program for girls ages 12 and 13 and a catch-up program for young women under 26. A few years later, the country saw vaccination rates for all 3 doses at 73%. Just 2 years after the program began, researchers found that diagnoses of genital warts had dropped 59% in young women ages 12 to 26 and 39% in young men of the same age.
We will soon be enrolling for an HPV Vaccine research study at Jordan River Family Medicine. We will be enrolling boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 14 and young women ages 16 to 26.
Please call 801-676-8109 if you are interested in participating.
