HPV, Human Papillomavirus, is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the US. It is estimated that 79 million Americans are currently infected and that 50% of sexually active men and women will contract the virus. HPV can cause cancer of the mouth, throat, cervix, vagina, penis and anus. The Gardasil vaccination is recommended to prevent HPV and its associated cancers.
We recommend starting this vaccination series around 11 or 12 because the response to the vaccination is better at this age and we want to make sure we are vaccinating children long before they are exposed.
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