Should My Daughter Get the HPV Vaccine?

Mothers (or fathers) who ask, "Should my daughter get the HPV vaccine?" should not rely on any single source for information. If you're facing this decision, first examine credible medical literature from vetted sources (not just opinion) on the HPV vaccine and any possible side effects. Then arm yourself with additional information in four key areas:

1. background on the HPV vaccine
2. reasons why the target group includes 11 and 12 year old girls
3. facts about pre-teen/tween/teen sexuality
4. political issues surrounding the HPV vaccine

Background on HPV Vaccine
In June 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine Gardasil,which prevents the transmission of four types of human papillomavirus (HPV), for use in girls as young as 9 and women up to the age of 26. The recommended age for girls to begin the three-shot regimen is between 11 and 12 years old.

When the vaccine received FDA approval, the Associated Press reported:

Gardasil, manufactured by Merck & Co. Inc., protects against the two types of HPV responsible for about 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. The vaccine also blocks infection by two other strains responsible for 90 percent of genital wart cases.

Clinical trials showed Gardasil prevented 100 percent of cervical cancer related to the two HPV strains in women who had not been previously infected, Merck said.

In the five years since Gardasil was approved, another similar HPV vaccine has entered the market - Cervarix, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and approved by the FDA in October 2009 for girls and young women age 10-25.

Why Target Group is 11-12 Year Old Girls
A major concern expressed by parents is the recommended age of vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) all support the recommendation that girls between 11 and 12 years old be given the vaccine. Yet some parents balk, thinking, "My daughter's way too young to be thinking about sex at that age, isn't she?"

Not necessarily. That's why 11 year olds are being targeted, and why it's been is approved for girls as young as 9. The HPV vaccine involves three shots administered over the course of six months and is most effective when immunization precedes the start of sexual activity. Since the spread of HPV occurs through skin-to-skin and sexual contact, vaccinating a girl early -- before she has any opportunity to be infected -- guarantees the best outcome.

However, the window of opportunity doesn't close after age 12. The CDC's HPV Vaccine Fact Sheet states:

Females who are sexually active may also benefit from the vaccine, but they may get less benefit from it. This is because they may have already gotten one or more of HPV types targeted by the vaccines. However, few sexually active young women are infected with all HPV types prevented by the vaccines, so most young women could still get protection by getting vaccinated.

In a 2008 study of tween and teen dating violence and abuse commissioned by Liz Claiborne, Inc. and loveisrespect.org, more than a third of respondents age 11-12 (37%) said they'd been in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. When asked to describe the physical acts that are part of a tween (age 11-14) dating relationship, respondents in the 11-14 age group answered with the following details:

• 37% said touching and feeling up are part of a dating relationship
• 27% regard oral sex as part of a dating relationship
• 28% said sexual intercourse is part of a dating relationship

Next page: Political Issues and the HPV Vaccine Controversy

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