If you are the parent of a girl between the ages of 9 and 26, you may want to read the January 9, 2008 article on the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine by Target.com writer David Gutierrez.

“A researcher who has spent 20 years studying human papilloma virus and did the bulk of the work that was used to develop a vaccine for several strains of the virus has warned that mandating the vaccine for girls under the age of 18 may actually backfire, causing cervical cancer rates to go up,” says Gutierrez.

Currently twenty-six states are considering some form of mandatory HPV vaccination for school-age girls, raising concerns among those who developed the vaccine given the lack of testing in girls under the age of 15 years.

“The drug may not be effective in younger girls, and it may have unforeseen side effects or interactions with other vaccines given at that age. Nonetheless, the Centers for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended it for ages 9-26,” states Diane M. Harper, director of Dartmouth Medical School’s Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Research Group.

“Giving it to 11-year-olds is a great big public health experiment,” Harper said. “To mandate now is simply to Merck’s benefit, and only to Merck’s benefit.”

“The HPV vaccine produced by Merck protects against two strains of the virus that have been identified as responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. But with the way the drug is being marketed, Harper is concerned that vaccinated women may decide that they are immune, and forego their yearly Pap smear testing,” reports Gutierrez.

The vaccine is intended only for those who test negative for the targeted HPV strains. The HPV test is done with a vaginal swab, a technique Harper says is inappropriate for children.

Harper goes on to warn that not enough research has been done to know how long the vaccine lasts, or at what age a booster may be needed. This means that even if the vaccine is effective in young girls, it may have worn off by the age at which they are most susceptible to cervical cancer.