Gardasil is one of the most widely known vaccines created to prevent certain strains of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), specifically Types 6, 11, 16, and 18. Gardasil protects against HPV strains that are sexually transmitted, and also helps prevent Cervical Cancer. It is administrated through 3 shot over several months, and is recommended for females around the ages of 11-12, or before being exposed to the virus. First only recommended for females, it is now also recommended for males.
When Gardasil first became introduced, there was much buzz about it leading to more promiscuity. Many believed or thought that by receiving the HPV vaccination, girls are more likely to engage in sexually risky behavior than girls who did not receive the vaccine. The question of, “Does the Gardasil Vaccine promote Promiscuity?”.
This however, was rebutted and in an article published in the journal Pediatrics, it was stated that, “Girls who are vaccinated for human papillomavirus (HPV) are no more likely to engage in sexually risky behaviors than girls who don’t receive the vaccine.”
Since Gardasil was first launched in 2006, the vaccination rates have been lagging. Many times when vaccinations are introduced and the rates lag it is because of knowledge about the vaccine that could be questionable. However, the reason for Gardasil’s rates lagging was not due to knowledge, but to belief: beliefs that would not be changed due to facts.
The main belief against Gardasil was by parents who thought that if their daughter (or son), was given the vaccine it would lead to sexual promiscuity. This could be possibly due to the belief that the vaccine, “encourages more sexual-risk taking owning to protection from the vaccine.”
A study was conducted in Ontario to test the effect that the HPV vaccine had on sexual behavior among adolescent girls. The study was conducted on girls in 8th Grade who before (2005-2007) and after (2007-2009) the girls received the vaccine. The results of the study concluded that there was no evidence that the HPV vaccine had any effect on sexual behavior of adolescent girls.
The full report can be seen Here.
Another study published for Time Magazine regarding whether sexual behavior and the HPV vaccine are related, was conducted by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research and Emory University. The study followed over 1,000 girls in 2006-2007 when Gardasil first became available. Out of the participants, 493 received at least one of the doses and the other 905 received some other vaccine that was not related to a HPV Vaccine. The study followed the girls for three years and recorded their behaviors in regard to sexual activity: whether they were tested for STD’s, took a pregnancy test, and taking contraceptives.
Again, these results concluded that the girls who received the HPV vaccine had no difference of sexual activity than the girls who did not receive the vaccine. About 10% of the girls had, “one of the sexual activity outcomes and less than 1% were diagnosed with an STI or had a pregnancy test.”
So in regards to the question, “Does the Gardasil Vaccine promote promiscuity?”, multiple studies have proven that no, it does not. It really has no effect on whether the adolescents who receive the vaccine are sexually active or when they become sexually active. Its sole purpose is to prevent HPV and help prevent cervical cancer, which is really only helping our future generations, not encouraging a promiscuous lifestyle.
Works Cited:
No, the HPV vaccine does not cause promiscuity
This is a question I never really thought about until talking about it in class and then reading your post. I definitely agree with the hypothesis that it wouldn’t effect a girl (or boy’s) promiscuity. The series is given as a precaution and protection for his or her future. It kind of shocks me that people wouldn’t have their child vaccinated against this because they would run the risk of promiscuity, especially since studies back the fact that it doesn’t do that. Great post full of great information!
I thought that this topic was extremely interesting in class and I really enjoyed your post. I never realized that people genuinely believed that getting the Gardisil shot promoted promiscuity. Perhaps this is showing how strongly I feel about thing like this, but I was not surprised that this was a widespread belief. Sex is the ultimate taboo topic, our society would rather turn a blind eye and assume that everyone is practicing abstinence until marriage than actually accept the fact that sex is a thing that happens. This is especially with women, our bodies are taboo in general. Another thing that people believe promotes promiscuity is birth control. Yes there are some instances where a girl could take birth control and feel that she can do whatever she wants sexually. But in general most girls are taking it for a variety of reasons such as acne, period cramps, irregular periods, as well as a measure to prevent pregnancy. I know first hand that mother was deeply against me being on birth control even though I needed it for things other than preventing pregnancy. But she felt that if I was on birth control, I would just go sleep around- which was not the case. Our society needs to get over this thing where we fear the idea of sex and the female body. The Gardisil shot is a great thing for women and men, there’s no need to be scared of it.
Hi Emily,
I was interested in your post because I was thinking about it after we talked about this topic in class today. From personal experience, no, getting the Gardasil injection did not affect my promiscuity, however, my mother was one of those parents who thought it might. I did not get the injection before I was 18 years old, against the advice of my doctor to my mother, who suggested I got the shot when I was 16. I guess, in some twisted way of thinking, my mother believed that if I knew I was protected against this one disease, I would drastically change my ways. This is nonsense and not true, but some parents do believe this. Thankfully, I still got the shot because she still wants me to be protected. There is one thing my mother was right about. She wanted me to get the series of vaccinations when I was 18, closer to college, so I would be fully protected for the full four years of college which is when it counts the most, instead of the effectiveness of the drug wearing off towards the end. This website says that it is recommended to get the shots between the ages of 11 and 26, so any time in between then works depending on the person. I was not exposed to this disease as early as age 11, so there was no need for me to get the injection then. But I believe it is important for everyone to get the vaccination sometime between these ages before becoming sexually active.