Many doctors say that if Gardasil is approved and given to millions of young women, the vaccine could not only virtually eradicate cervical cancer, it could also mean women no longer need frequent Pap smears to detect the cancer and could save billions of dollars spent treating the disease.

 

But before that can happen, doctors also say it's parents who ultimately decide whether or not the vaccine is a true medical success. Why? It's not doctors and health officials but parents who must allow it to be given to their young daughters. (The vaccine works in women of all ages, but it does the best job of preventing the disease if given to women before they become sexually active.)