10A NEWS THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2006 HEALTH Controversial, expensive vaccine available at Watkins BY ANNA FALTERMEIER The controversial new vaccine for a sexually transmitted infection proven to cause cervical cancer is available at Watkins Memorial Health Center. Gardasil was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in June and made available at Watkins Aug. 1. The vaccine protects against four strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which are spread through sexual contact more than 99 percent of the time. Thirty strains of HPV affect the genital area. Of those, 15 are high-risk strains. The vaccine protects against two strains that cause cervical cancer and two that cause most genital warts. According to the Food and Drug Administration, those strains protected against by Gardasil are responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancers and 90 percent of genital warts. According to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, about 14,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year; more than 3,900 women die annually from the disease. "When you look at it as the first cancer prevention vaccine, that's really exciting," said Kathy Guth, Watkins nurse practitioner. "This is just the first step." Watkins recommends Gardasil for women who haven't been diagnosed with HPV or who haven't had sexual intercourse. The vaccine is taken in a series of three shots, one the first day, one two months later and one six months after the first shot. Each shot costs $138 for students (a total of $414), but review companies are reviewing information to decide if they'll pay for some or all of it. "Right now I think the cost might be a deterrent, and a lot of it is going to depend on how much insurance will pay." Guth said. wilting, such that Guth said Watkins didn't have any reservations about carrying the drug, which was challenged by several conservative religious groups as promoting sexual promiscuity and devaluing sex. Dennis Dailey, professor emeritus of human sexuality, had no qualms with the vaccine. It's a health issue, not a moral issue" he said. "it's about preventing a disease" The concern that women who take this vaccine would "go out and become promiscuous sluts" is "a pile of crap." Dailey said. "I can't imagine a more degrading notion. It's not giving women much credit." The Rev. Zachary Shallow at the St. Lawrence Catholic Center didn't think the vaccine would necessarily merit sexual promiscuity. He said the issue lay not in the question of women going out and becoming promiscuous, but in the sanctity of the act of sex. "When you abstain from sex until you are married, the evidence is clear: You are healthier, period" he said. "If the virus is only transmitted through sexual activity then an immunization is unnecessary and it sends the wrong message to the child." Shallow said the vaccine sent the wrong message by devaluing the sacredness of sexuality that should be preserved for marriage. The University of Kansas was Anna Faltermeyer/KANSAN one of 17 sites in the United States that participated in a four-year study about the vaccine six years ago. The study was a major part of getting Gardasil on the market. Guth hopes the vaccine will one day be a routine vaccination. Although men can also carry the virus, the vaccine has only been tested on women. More studies would be necessary to create a vaccine for men. Kansan staff writer Anna Faltermeier can be contacted at afaltermeier@kansan.com. Edited by Erin Wiley CAMPUS Hawk Week appeals to all students BY DARLA SLIPKE Each year's Hawk Week activities are designed to provide a transition into the new school year for KU students. The events, including entertainment, food, friends and fun, are scheduled for the week leading up to the beginning of classes. Coordinators said this year's events, which started Sunday and will continue until Saturday, should appeal to every type of student. "We try to provide a variety of things so that all students can participate in something," Amanda Ostgulen, New Student Orientation special projects assistant, said. "We want to make sure the message is clear that this is not just for freshmen." Four new events highlight this year's Hawk Week activities: A non-traditional student meet-and-greet, the Roll with Dole Supper and Ice-Cream Social and Dog Days. The meet-and-greet session was added this year to ensure that nontraditional students were included in the festivities. Shanda Hurla, the event coordinator, said the event was created in response to feedback from previous years. The event will be Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Kansas Union. The Roll with Dole Supper and Roll with Dole Ice Cream Social, also new this year, offer free food and a chance for students to learn more about the Dole Institute of Politics before and after Convocation on Wednesday night. The supper is at 6 p.m., followed by Convocation and the ice cream social at 9:15 p.m. "I think this will be a great opportunity for students to meet with other students and faculty," Hurla said. Another of this year's new activities, Dog Days, is open to students as well as members of the Lawrence community. At 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, participants can meet at Memorial Stadium for a variety of exercise activities. The event is a continuation of the summer-long program that has been a community tradition for more than 23 years. Night events usually attract a larger crowd. Ostgulen said. They provide a fun, social start to the school year, while smaller daytime events help students learn about campus resources and opportunities. Kansan staff writer Darka Slipke can be contacted at dslipke@kansan.com. Free buses will run to and from campus housing and certain events during Hawk Week. For a full schedule and description of events, visit www.hawkwku.edu. Edited by Aly Barland HAWK WEEK EVENTS Monday, August 14 Ice Cream Social Traditions Night 6. 30 to 8 p.m., Adams Alumni Center 8 to 9 p.m., Memorial Stadium Rock-A-Hawk 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Visitor Center Parking Lot Dog Days Wednesday, August 16 Take Over the Beach 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Memorial Stadium Lawrence community members also join KU students and faculty for what has become one of the largest events of Hawk Week: Traditions Night. This event is tonight from 8 to 9 at Memorial Stadium. Attendees join together to celebrate and learn the songs, chants and rich traditions of the University of Kansas. More than 5,000 people attended Traditions Night last year. Info Fair 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Wesco Beach 7 to 9 p.m., Strong Hall Lawn Beach 'N' Boulevard » Hawk Link Block Party 4:30 to 7 p.m., Wescoe Beach Roll with Dole Supper 6 to 7:30 p.m., Dole Institute of Politics Convocation 7 to 10 p.m., Wescoe Beach 8 to 9 p.m., Lied Center >> Roll with Dole Ice Cream Social 10:30 to 12:00 Uled Center Thursday, August 17 Dog Days 6 a.m. and 6 o.m., Memorial Stadium » Spencer Museum of Art Presents "Chauin of the Dead" 7. ppm, Spencer Museum of Art Auditorium Downtown Hawks 5 to 8 p.m., Downtown Lawrence Friday, August 18 » Free Outdoor Concert: The Waillin Jennys Family Art Festival 7 to 8 p.m., Lied Center Lawn 6 to 7 p.m., Lied Center Garden Cournard Movie on the Hill 9 p.m., Campanile hill (rain location: Wooldruff Auditorium, Kansas Union) Saturday, August 19 Community Service Project 10 a.m., Kansas Union Lobby, 4th Floor Rec Fest 2 to 6 p.m., KU. 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