THE HPV VACCINE: What does it mean for women in the U.S.?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the U.S., consisting of over 100 strains,of which 40 affect the genital areas. Even though 90% of all infections are asymptomatic and HPV rarely leads to cervical cancer, the HPV vaccine Gardasil has been marketed heavily as „the cervical cancer vaccine“. Merck & Co. estimated between US $ 1.4 billion and US $ 1.6 billion in 2008 sales. This poster focuses on critically questioning whether the HPV vaccination is an appropriate preventive measure for cervical cancer in the U.S. A comparative analysis shows the difference in pap…