Final answer:
Vaccines like Gardasil provide a preventative approach to HPV by preparing the body's immune system before exposure to the virus, unlike anti-viral medications that treat symptoms after infection. Gardasil offers protection against strains of HPV that may cause genital warts and cervical cancer and is most effective when administered before the onset of sexual activity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Doctors still want a vaccine like Gardasil created after anti-viral medications such as podofilox were available because vaccines offer a preventative approach to diseases. Vaccines prepare the body's immune system to fight against infections before they occur. Gardasil targets human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus that can cause genital warts and cervical cancer. While medications like podofilox treat the symptoms of an HPV infection, such as genital warts, they do not eliminate the virus from the body or prevent the initial infection. Furthermore, Gardasil provides protection against multiple strains of HPV, some of which are oncogenic and may lead to cervical cancer.
By immunizing individuals before they are exposed to HPV, vaccines like Gardasil and Cervarix effectively reduce the potential for infection and the subsequent spread within the population. This prevention strategy is critical because there is no cure for HPV once a person is infected, and an infection can persist throughout life if the immune system does not clear it. Additionally, the vaccines protect against the strains of HPV with the highest risks of causing cervical cancer and are most effective when given before sexual activity begins, which is why they are recommended for both boys and girls between the ages of nine and fifteen. This prophylactic approach is crucial for controlling the spread of HPV and lowering the incidence of HPV-related diseases, notably cervical cancer.