Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended the use of Gardasil 9 as one of three human papillomavirus vaccines that can be used in routine vaccination for children ages 11 or 12. Tests show that by administering the vaccine to preteen girls, doctors were able to prevent 99 percent of cervical pre-cancers, according to the committee’s report. However, parents and doctors aren't lining up to be treated.
Dr. Sheila Nolan, Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network, is working to change that. “It really is a very important vaccine,” says Dr. Nolan. “Why would you let your children get cancer if you had a way to prevent it?”
To learn about the vaccination, continue reading here.