Immunization & Medical Records
Student Health Center
University Park, PA 16802
(814) 863-1975

Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) Vaccines
Penn State requires that all students born after 1956 have two measles, two mumps and one rubella shots. This is a mandatory requirement. If you cannot locate your immunization records, you have three options:

1. You may receive two MMR booster shots
2. You may have blood tests done to determine if you are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella.
3. You may request an exemption.

Meningitis Vaccine
In July 2002, Pennsylvania passed a law that requires all students living in the residence halls to be immunized for meningitis. The University also recommends that off-campus students also receive this immunization.

Tuberculosis Test
The University requires that a tuberculosis skin test be done within the last 6 months for anyone at high risk for TB. High risk is defined by the Centers for Disease Control as anyone who is foreign born, persons with compromised immune systems, and persons who have come in close contact with infectious TB.

Hepatitis B Vaccine
At the current time, Penn State does not require that students have the Hepatitis B series, but the University does recommend that the students receive the vaccine.

Allergy Injections
Allergy/Desensitization Clinic is offered to students who have been seen by their private allergist. Students are required to bring their own serum and written documentation concerning injection schedule and dosing. Regulations require that a physician be available within the facility when allergy injections are given and that the student remain in the facility for 20 minutes after the injection to monitor the patient’s response. The Health & Wellness Center offers the clinic on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00-8:00PM.

Travel Immunizations
Hepatitis A, Tetanus, antimalaria medications can be provided to students traveling to high risk areas.

HPV Vaccine

Women students will be able to get a new vaccine for prevention of cervical cancer at the Health & Wellness Center.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Gardasil, which is highly effective against four types of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), including two that cause most cervical cancers.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the U.S., with more than 20 million men and women currently infected and 6.2 million new infections each year. HPV is most common in men and women in their late teens and early twenties. By age 50, it is estimated that at least 80% of women will have acquired an HPV infection.

Many people refer to HPV as genital warts, but HPV includes over 100 viruses. One-third of these viruses cause genital problems that affect both sexes, such as genital warts on a man’s penis or a woman’s vagina or cervix.  In a small number of women, cell changes in the cervix may be precancerous. Genital warts can appear as small hard spots or have a fleshy cauliflower appearance, but in other cases warts are not visible to the naked eye.

The FDA approved Gardasil for use in girls and women ages 9 through 26, with routine immunization recommended for girls ages 11 and 12 years old. Protection works best when given before a woman becomes sexually active, although it may also benefit women who are already sexually active and even those who already have one of the four types of HPV viruses that cause cervical cancer. As with all vaccines, it may not protect everyone who gets the vaccine and will not protect against types of HPV that are not contained in the vaccine.

Gardasil is given in a series of 3 injections, with dose 2 given 2 months after the first dose, and dose 3 given 6 months after the first dose. The most common side effects of the vaccine are pain, swelling, itching, redness at the injection site, and fever. Women who are allergic to any ingredient in the vaccine or who have an allergic reaction after the first dose should not receive the vaccine.

Each Gardasil injection costs $142 (plus visit fee) and three are needed. Students may elect to pay the charges at the time of the visit or have the charges billed to their student account.

Immunizations are available by calling 814-949-5540 for an appointment.