Several reputable medical journals report results from worldwide studies that suggest Gardasil is highly effective against strains of HPV.
As a nursing student in an oncology unit, I know that HPV is a leading cause of cervical cancer in young women, and I hope that public education will help Gardasil gain in popularity.
We should also offer this vaccine and related disease education to young men.
A recent study published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology suggests this virus will soon become the leading cause of oral cancer in men, likely due to increased oral sex and decreased smoking, HPV now causes as many upper throat cancers in men as tobacco and alcohol.
The maker of Gardasil will soon ask for government permission to offer it to boys.
Jennifer Combellick
Chula Vista, Calif.
