MESSAGE FROM TOWN AND COUNTRY PEDIATRICS ABOUT NEW VACCINE NOW AVAILABLE!

Gardasil ® (Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine) by Merck

• Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the most common cause of cervical cancer.
• Over half of women are infected with HPV at some point.

• The vaccine protects against 4 serotypes of HPV.
• 70% of cervical cancers are caused by 2 of the serotypes and 90% of genital warts are caused by the 2 other serotypes in the vaccine. 
• The vaccine is preventative and made from non-infectious (inactive) HPV- there is no thimerosal or preservative in the vaccine.
• The vaccine is licensed for females aged 9-26 years of age but will be given in our office starting at 11 years through the age of 18 years.
• The vaccine should be delivered through a series of 3 dose series over a period of 6 months.
• The vaccine has been studied through 5 years with no evidence of waning immunity.
• The vaccine is currently being studied for use in males but there is no indication for its use at this time.
• Side effects include only pain at the injection site.