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Essay about Weighing the Benefits of the Gardasil Vaccine

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Many parents would take interest in a vaccine that promises protection against the second most common form of cancer found in women each year. Especially when 11,000 women will become diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and 3,700 of those women will die as a result. Gardasil is a vaccine given in a series of three shots to girls ranging from nine to 26 years of age. Those three shots offer protection against four different strains of the human papilloma virus, which causes cervical cancer. (“GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant].”) Without a doubt, most parents would not hesitate to have their daughters vaccinated. Unfortunately, many parents do not consider the consequences…show more content…
This does not offer immunity against 30% of HPV strains that are at fault for causing cervical cancer. (“Comprehensive Cancer Information - National Cancer Institute.”) Although, cervical cancer may be the second most common form of cancer found in women, it is also the easiest form to cure. Based on information by Doctor Diane Harper, whom is the lead researcher for the Gardasil vaccine, the Gardasil shot is completely unnecessary. "70 percent of all HPV infections resolve themselves without treatment within a year. Within two years, the number climbs to 90 percent. Of the remaining 10 percent of HPV infections, only half will develop into cervical cancer, which leaves little need for the vaccine." Even if women do become vaccinated with Gardasil, typical pap smears and routine checkups are still going to be necessary. That alone has already been slicing the number of cervical cancer cases per year by four percent. (“ Weekly Blitz”) Merck, the creators of Gardasil, do not even know the current duration of the vaccine. They have estimated that the effectiveness of Gardasil will last for approximately five years, and a booster vaccine will be necessary. Furthermore, Merck has been known to do anything in order to sell their medicine, they created the drug Vioxx which was a total disaster. Merck did not allot nearly enough time to test the efficiency of the Gardasil shot. Over the course of a
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