guardasil.

why the outrage over gardasil [the vaccine against the most common strains of human papillomavirus which causes 70% of cervical cancer cases and 90% of genital warts cases]? although this vaccine only guards against certain types of the virus, it is effectively the first vaccine available that can prevent cancer. so why are so many people [particularly mothers of young daughters] so distraught over its use? granted in order for the vaccine to have the greatest effect, it must be administered before the first sexual contact and is therefore recommended for girls ages 9 to 13. i can see how it may be difficult for mothers to explain to their prepubescent daughters that they have to get this shot before they have sex so that they don't get a sexually transmitted disease that may cause cancer. but the vaccine itself is not an invitation to have sex, it is a first-line defense against an all too common yet rarely talked about form of cancer. i'm sure if there were a vaccine against AIDS there would be no backlash even though it is most commonly transmitted through sexual contact. is the concern because this particular vaccine has to be administered before sexual contact? i don't know, but what i do know is that both i and my younger sister have received the vaccine and if i had a daughter i would have her vaccinated as well. after all, protection from a common, cancer causing std is more about self preservation than an initiation to promiscuity.