Health Department Begins Offering HPV Vaccine

July 30, 2007
Beginning immediately, qualified, underinsured women may obtain the HPV vaccine Gardasil® at the same price the vaccine is offered to qualified, uninsured women—$10 per dose—at the Washtenaw County Public Health Department.

Women are qualified to receive the three-dose HPV vaccine if they are Washtenaw County residents, 19-26 years of age and are either uninsured or have insurance that does not cover the cost of the vaccine. Women interested in receiving the vaccine must call (734) 544-6840 to schedule an appointment at the Washtenaw County Health Department Adult Clinic. The HPV vaccine is not available for adults through the Health Department’s regularly scheduled walk-in clinics.

The HPV vaccine, Gardasil®, protects against four HPV types, which together cause 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts. Genital HPV infection is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Human papillomavirus is the name of a group of viruses that includes more than 100 different strains or types. More than 30 of these viruses are sexually transmitted, and they can infect the genital area of both men and women. For more information about HPV infections and the HPV vaccine, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at: http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/default.htm#fact.