The Health Center will begin offering Gardasil, the vaccine that protects women from HPV (a virus that can cause cervical cancer), as soon as the first shipment arrives, which is expected to be by the end of the month.
The vaccine is administered in three doses and each dose will cost $150 at the Health Center. This academic year, the Health Center will not accept any insurance plans, including AU's plan, to pay for the vaccine.
A statement on the Health Center Web site said, "We will investigate the impact that adding coverage will have on the premium for the 2007-2008 policy year beginning August 20, 2007. Please remember, adding benefits to an insurance plan typically results in an increase in the premium (not including increases due to the inflation of health care costs.)."
Although the cost is probably prohibitive for many AU students, the convenience of getting the vaccine at school may outweigh the cost for others. The vaccine must be administered over six months in three doses at specific intervals. It would be easier for most students to get the doses at school than have to plan doses for specific times over vacations.
It's not clear whether students who begin the series at the Health Center could continue if they graduate in the middle of the series or if students could receive some doses at the Health Center and others from their home physician.
Unfortunately, the Health Center directed Eagle reporters to its Web site when they attempted to ask these questions. Officials requested all questions from The Eagle via e-mail and then referred writers to the site. Information about the vaccine currently amounts to less than 200 words. If Health Center administrators will not directly answer questions about the program, they should at least make sufficient information available from the source to which they refer students.
