Davison Health Center (DHC) now offers two new advances in sexual healthcare: Gardasil, the latest preventative measure against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and the over-the-counter version of the emergency contraceptive Plan B.
Gardasil is a new vaccine from Merck & Co. that prevents four types of HPV that account for 90 percent of cases of genital warts and up to 70 percent of cases of cervical cancer. According to the DHC, studies of Gardasil show 100 percent efficacy against high risk, pre-cancerous forms of HPV and 99 percent efficacy against low-risk types for four years. However, because the vaccine is new, it is possible there are unknown side effects.
“There is risk involved [in the HPV vaccine], but we have mitigated that risk as much as possible,” said Dr. Davis Smith, medical director of DHC, saying that although the University is an “early adopter” of Gardasil, students were not being used as guinea pigs. “People have already been experimented on. And they were paid to be in those experiments.”
As the second new service, DHC will also dispense the over-the-counter version of Plan B, an emergency contraceptive. According to the Plan B website, it should be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex and can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 89 percent.
On Wednesday Smith gave a presentation on HPV and Gardasil, sponsored by DHC and WesWell. HPV is extremely common, easily transmitted, and affects both men and women. 9.2 million people in the United States are between the ages of 15 and 24 are infected. Most of the 100 different types of HPV are small, harmless warts on hands and feet, though about 30 varieties are genital and will show up on a pap smear. Some forms are “low risk” and result in genital warts or benign cervical changes. Ninety percent of these types disappear within two years. Yet other, “high risk,” types can lead to cervical cancer.
HPV is a serious concern to college students, as 60 percent of HPV-negative college students wind up positive within two years, according to Smith.
“Sexual activity is synonymous with getting HPV,” Smith said. “People should act as though they have HPV because if they don’t [take preventative measures, such as wearing a condom], they will get it soon. You must wear a condom every time you get naked with someone.”
This goes for sexual acts between partners of any gender. Smith recommended consistently wearing a condom for the first two years of a monogamous, sexual relationship with a new partner so that any previous strains of HPV can clear themselves up.
Side effects of the vaccine include localized pain, slight redness, swelling, and itchiness. The effects were minimally different from those of placebo. One should not get Gardasil if one is suffering from moderate to acute illness or has a hypersensitivity to yeast or other ingredients in the medication.
To receive the HPV vaccine, one must sign up either online or by telephone. The medicine comes in three doses, each costing $175, although the DHC is looking to switch providers so that the price will soon decrease.
The price for Plan B will be $12 per pack and students may purchase up to three pill packs at a time. Although Plan B has been on the market for a few years, it has recently been approved for over-the-counter sale to people over the age of 18.
For more information on these or other medical services the DHC offers, visit http://www.wesleyan.edu/healthservices.
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