The Sacramento State Student Health Center is now offering its female students a vaccination for the human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted disease referred to as HPV.

The vaccine protects women against four strains of HPV, which cause nearly 70 percent of cervical cancers and 90 percent of genital-warts, according to the Center for Disease Control website.

There are more than 100 strains of HPV that the vaccine does not protect against, about 30 of which are related to STDs and cervical cancers.

The vaccine, Gardasil, is administered in three doses over a six- month period, costing students $130 per dose. The vaccine is licensed by the Food and Drug Administration for use in girls between the ages of 9 and 26, and is covered by most, but not all insurance companies.

Most student’s agree that the vaccine is worth while, even if they have to pay for it out of their own pockets.

“I think it’s worth it,” said Mandy Weaver, a junior dietetics major. “I have a lot of friends who have that problem. Any amount you can pay is better than having an STD.”

The vaccine only works if administered before one comes in contact with HPV, so it is recommended that women get it before they are sexually active.

The vaccine is still recommended for those people who have been sexually active, in case they haven’t been exposed to all four of the strains that the vaccine protects against.

According to the center’s website, HPV can be spread through genital contact, not just sexual intercourse.

According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation website, HPV is the most common STD in the United States, with approximately 6.2 million cases diagnosed every year. 74 percent of new HPV cases occur in women ages 15 to 24 year olds.

Most people who have HPV don’t even know it, with many carriers not showing any symptoms, according to the Center’s website.

Though unanimously recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a government agency, the vaccine has been controversial among many religious organizations including the Family Research Council.

“Its kind of like encouraging people to use condoms,” said Scott Merlino, a philosophy professor. “People are worried that (it) encourages people to have sex.”

Some people are also concerned that the vaccination will provide girls with a false sense of security, Merlino said. There is no such thing as “safe sex.”

“People were against women taking the pill in the 70’s because they said ‘that’s going to make them more promiscuous,'” Merlino said. “People are worried that vaccines, pills and condoms encourage promiscuity.”

Though not approved for men in the United States, the drug is available to boys age 9 to 15 in the United Kingdom. HPV is said to cause genital warts along with anal and penile cancer in men, which is a larger risk for gay men, according to a BBC report.

A trial is presently underway to test the vaccine’s efficiency in protecting men from the disease.

Avi Ehrlich can be reached at [email protected].