April 3, 2008
Contact: Bev Pfeifer-Harms
Director of Communications
314.345.5500 office

Free HPV Vaccine Available at 139 Missouri Sites

Vaccine Prevents Strains that Cause 70 Percent of Cervical Cancer

ST. LOUIS -Free vaccine is available to protect Missouri women against cancer-causing strains of human papillomavirus (HPV). The vaccine, Gardasil®, is now available at no charge to qualified females at 139 Missouri health centers and clinics. The series of three vaccinations takes six months to complete, meaning young women who start the vaccinations now would be fully immunized before the end of the year.

Gardasil is recommended for females ages 9-26. The vaccine targets certain strains of HPV that account for 70 percent of cervical cancers. However, it's normal commercial cost - about $360 for the three-dose regimen - limited access for low-income and uninsured girls and women.

Through a $11 million grant, Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) has funded the purchase of enough Gardasil to vaccinate 30,000 uninsured and underinsured Missouri girls and women. The vaccine is free to girls and women not covered by adequate insurance or who do not qualify for Missouri's free Vaccines For Children (VFC) program. A complete list of the participating health centers and clinics is available at www.mohpv.org, a website developed by the Missouri HPV Education Coalition. The list of sites also can be accessed by calling 2-1-1, a free helpline that connects people to health and human service organizations. In communities where 2-1-1 is not yet operational, residents can dial toll-free 800.427.4636 to receive the same information.

Established in 2000, MFH is the largest non-governmental funder of community health activities in Missouri. MFH is in its sixth year of grantmaking, having issued more than $270 million in grants and awards to date. It is dedicated to serving the uninsured, underinsured and underserved in 84 Missouri counties and the City of St. Louis.

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