by Liz Orton

Created on: April 05, 2007   Last Updated: May 05, 2007

14,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year. Of those 14,000, about 4,000 will die from the cancer. New medical research has found that a sexually transmitted infection, human papillomavirus (HPV), causes virtually all cases of cervical cancer. When the FDA approved Gardasil, a vaccine that guards against four "high-risk" strains of HPV and can possibly prevent cervical cancer, the news was everywhere.

Talk began of making the vaccine mandatory for young girls (in order for Gardasil to be effective, it must be administered before the girl becomes sexually active and could possibly contract HPV). Texas Governor Rick Perry controversially sidestepped the Legislature and made the vaccine mandatory in his state. This sprouted a media uproar.

Critics argue that requiring a vaccine against a sexually transmitted infection sends the wrong message to young, impressionable girls. Supporters argue that a vaccine that can protect against some forms of HPV and potentially cervical cancer is a good thing and every girl should get it. This is the "controversy" that is being covered by the media. However, the real controversy goes far deeper than that. If it weren't for rich drug companies and misconceptions about this "miracle drug," adding Gardasil to the list of required childhood vaccinations would not even be considered.

Merck, the drug company that makes Gardasilthe only HPV vaccine currently on the marketspends millions of dollars to fund initiatives in states considering mandating the vaccine. If the vaccine is added to the list of required childhood vaccinations, millions of girls will spend $360 each to get the vaccination. This means billions of dollars for Merck. And since the vaccine is only known to work for four and a half years after the original vaccination, Merck will see even more money. The vaccination is not being considered for its medical merits, rather for the money behind it. If it weren't for the ad campaigns, the publicity, and the money, Gardasil would not be a mandatory vaccine in any state. It's too new and not enough tests have been done to prove its effectiveness or its safeness.

According to an article on Wikipediaan internet encyclopediaGardasil was not tested on minors. However, the target age of the vaccine is girls between 9 and 26. In states that require the vaccine, girls are vaccinated at age 12. But studies were never conducted to prove that this was safe. Pre-teen girls' bodies are a lot different from adults'. Their bodies,

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