The AU Student Health Center is looking into measures that would allow the AU student insurance plan to cover the cost of the newly approved Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil, said Daniel Bruey, director of the Health Center.
"A large percentage of cervical cancer is caused by HPV," said JoAnna Smith, director of Women's Initiative and junior in the School of Public Affairs. "If we could get everybody vaccinated, we could prevent a whole bunch of new cases and focus on preventing other STDs."
In an e-mail, Bruey said the Health Center staff is working on programs to spread campus-wide awareness.
"Our providers educate students of HPV/cervical cancer during their visits to the center," he said.
The Health Center is trying to get the HPV vaccine covered by the student insurance plan, Bruey said.
"We are currently working with the Chickering Group to work out details regarding the HPV vaccine for students on the Student Health Insurance Plan," he said in the e-mail.
Bruey said the Health Center is trying to keep costs as low as possible.
"I think the vaccine is important for all college students," said Rachel Schwager, a sophomore in the School of Communication. "[HPV] is a disease that we don't have a lot of control over once you have it, so we should all go ahead and get the vaccine."
Schwager said more publicity is needed to educate students about the benefits of the vaccine.
"[The vaccine] just came out recently, so not many people know about it," Schwager said. "We should go ahead as a group and try to promote it and get everybody vaccinated."
Until the vaccine is readily available, students have several options, according to Bruey.
"Regular condom use can decrease the chances of transmitting HPV, but they are not completely effective," Bruey said in the e-mail.
"Limiting the number of sexual partners, refraining from any genital contact with another individual and regular cervical screening for sexually active women" are other options he listed in the e-mail.
On June 8, the Food and Drug Administration approved the sale and use of Gardasil, a vaccine for cervical cancer, which will protect against the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus.
According to the FDA, about 6.2 million Americans contract HPV each year, while almost 10,000 American women are diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Physicians tested Gardasil on 11,000 individuals and found it caused no major side effects except a slight fever and discomfort at the site of injection. It prevented almost 100 percent of infections, according to the FDA.
Although the tests were conducted on women ages 19 to 26, the FDA says most doctors recommend the vaccination for girls before they become sexually active.
The vaccine, produced by Merck & Co., is administered in a series of three injections over six months and works by preventing types 6, 11, 16 and 18 of HPV infections.
