Since 2006 women and young girls from New Zealand have had the chance to take the cervical cancer vaccine Gerdasil. Up to that year cervical cancer war every year diagnosed for 180 people out of which at least 60 patients died. Though controversial and disputed by many, the vaccine is perfectly natural to exist as an option for all women. For once, the costs were also realistically fixed at 100 to 300$ for the three-shot course. The

Combined with periodical Pap screenings this vaccine has been extremely effective in combating this disease by mainly protecting against the Human Papiloma virus which accounts for 70% of cervical cancers.



The main object of controversy derives from the fact that the vaccine is primarily meant for girls under 11 as the HPV virus is sexually transmitted and the risks of becoming it begin once girls become sexually active. Parents' approval is therefore essential and the subject of their daughter's sexuality as well as the vaccine's effect on the immune system have been extensively debated on.

A lot of information has since become available on the vaccine starting with the way it acts and it purpose. The vaccine protects from four types of HPV by causing the immune system to produce its own antibodies against these types of virus. It has also been proven to be 95%-100% effective against the virus and the effect is supposed to be long lasting, for at least 5 years and some evidence even suggest that it can last for your entire life.

The way it is administered is through three injections over a six months period.

The safety of having the vaccine should be of no concern for the patience since it has been well researched and in 2007 The World Health Organization’s Global Advisory Committee of Vaccine Safety concluded that Gardasil has a good safety profile and ever since no significant reports have affected this result.

What reactions or side-effects should you expect after having the vaccine? They are actually not very different from those of other vaccines. A sore arm, swelling, redness at the injection site might occur. Less frequently, but this possible, girls might faint or vomit which is why girls are advised to sit down for 15 minutes after the vaccine. The best way to ensure the risks of fainting are kept to a minimum is to have a good breakfast before being vaccinated. Fever in the following days might also be experienced by the girls and a rash might develop at the injection site. You should also be aware of a slight risk of an allergic reaction, a very rare event however.



The chance to take this vaccine should not be underestimated and relating it to promiscuity is a great mistake. That's why New Zealand's government has developed many public campaigns to raise awarness on the subject of cervical cancer.

The discovery of this connection between HPV and cervical cancer which has lead to developing the vaccine is a Nobel awarded discovery and we should all recognize its value.