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In general, vaccinations maintain public health by keeping disease at bay. There a number of childhood vaccines that, barring pediatric immunity disorders, have only rare and mild side effects with great benefit to the general well-being of the population.

Gardasil, Merck's cervical cancer vaccine is being marketed as a personal health issue, which it isn't. Vaccines are a public health issue, something that benefits the populace as opposed to individuals, who have to deal with side effects and adverse events, even if rare. Another issue with the assumption that Gardasil is a traditional vaccine is that it does not prevent an infection, it prevents the development of a secondary, or associated, disorder.

Some strains of human papilloma virus (HPV) have been associated with the development of cervical cancer after persistent infection and re-infection. According to Brazilian studies among promiscuous women, persistent infection only occurs in approximately 5% of women, and exposure does not usually occur until a woman's 20s. Meanwhile, according to the American Cancer Society, the average age of women with cervical cancer is the mid-40s, with most being over the age of 65.

In addition, cancer development occurs in a two-hit model. There must be two alterations in the genetic makeup of the human cells, either genetic or environmental, to result in cancer. The virus offers one possible environmental explanation to work in concert with genetic predisposition to the disease. The only women who would truly benefit from the vaccine are those who have a genetic predisposition to cervical cancer.

However, the human body usually clears HPV without incidence and, based on the FDA information for the drug, Gardasil does not prevent HPV infection, only the development of cervical cancer in women followed for 2 years after vaccination. Also, the vaccine is only likely good for 4-5 years (long-term testing is still needed), leaving a woman unprotected after the age of 26, the cutoff for vaccination and before most cancerous changes occur.

There have also been serious side effects reported in association with Gardasil vaccinations: Thousands of cases of seizures and paralysis and at least 8 cases of death in girls under the age of 20 in the United States and UK. There have been no long-term tests on the effect of vaccination of reproductive health and function.

Until more research has been done on the effects and a test developed to determine the girls most at risk for developing cervical cancer, not another child should be given this vaccine. It was rushed to market with no actual benefit demonstrated, only hypothesized and extrapolated information regarding potential reductions in incidence.

When deciding to vaccinate, parents need to know that 1) Gardasil does NOT vaccinate against HPV, it is approved for the prevention of some strains of HPV-associated cervical cancer (and possibly genital warts) and 2) no long-term testing has been done to show that it is truly effective for preventing cervical cancer as adults. The FDA has all of the clinical study and approval information available online.

Learn more about this author, Alicia M Prater PhD.
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