HPV vaccine availability varies among campuses

By Umaymah Rashid
The Collegian

The Human Papillomavirus is a widespread sexually transmitted disease on college campuses, and some colleges are making the vaccination against the virus easily available.

The University of Virginia offered free vaccinations to their female students, and many wonder if this should be a national practice. Fresno State does not offer free vaccinations against the virus, but it is available with a prescription.

The Food and Drug Administration approved a new vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer, genital warts, and pre-cancerous genital lesions caused by the Human Papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV.

“We are at a critical juncture for women’s health and safety,” said Patsy Montgomery, the regional director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. “The best way to protect women from risk is to make sure the HPV vaccine is widely available and administered to all women at risk of infection.”

The controversy surrounding the vaccine is proponents would like to see the vaccination be required of all girls and women ages 9-26. Some opponents of the vaccine believe that vaccinating girls before they become sexually active would encourage early sex or make women less responsible when it comes to protecting themselves.

Fresno State psychology major Rosa Maravilla disagrees.

“I don’t know how that would encourage sex, it has absolutely nothing to do with it,” Maravilla said. “It does have to do with reproductive organs but it’s about protecting her life.”

Other students also believe the benefits far outweigh the supposed consequences.

“I think by all means, they should go for it,” Ruth Amaralapudi said, a political science grad student.

“Anything that is for the benefit of anybody else should be done.”

Although the vaccine is deemed to be very safe and effective in preventing cervical cancer and genital warts, some believe it is still not a good idea to require young girls to get it.

“I think that’s pure wrong,” Lacresia Fifer said, a child development senior and mother of four. “I would not give it to my 9-year-old, that is my child’s choice when she becomes an adult.”

Montgomery said the HPV vaccine is the most expensive vaccine ever at $360 and by requiring immunization, it will ensure private health insurers and government vaccination programs will be funded to meet the HPV immunization needs.

“Congress must appropriate enough funding to ensure that everyone who needs this vaccine has access to it,” Montgomery said. “The promise of ending cervical cancer in future generations should not be lost to a health care system that fails to provide widespread immunization.”

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States, according to The Centers for Disease Control.

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