And if you were wondering why it would be important to vaccinate a kid while she or he is still 11, it's so that we cast the broadest net of protection possible. HPV transmission isn't always about promiscuity. A lot of very young children get it because they are molested or sexually assaulted (often by a relative or close acquaintance!). Other people get it out of sheer naivete: many young people don't consider dry humping to be sexual activity, but it is, and it can spread HPV. And well, there are a lot of children whose personal lives are troubled, and they do act out sexually at an early age. They need protecting, too.

So while I do not support mandating Gardasil for school enrollment, I DO hope that all parents have the compassion, care and common sense to get their kids vaccinated against HPV early on.