WASHINGTON, D.C. - In D.C. and Virginia this school year, girls entering sixth grade for the first time will need to get the HPV vaccine.

Although the new mandates isn't required, some medical professionals feel that the risks associated with the HPV disease should be reason enough for parents to have their child take the vaccine.

"If there's almost a 20 percent chance that your young person can be exposed to this," says Dr. Kathy Woodward, adolescent medicine specialist. "Most parents would want to use that protection."

The vaccine is controversial because it's recommended for pre-teen girls before their first sexual encounter. Some parents say the decision to take the vaccine should be left up to the parent.

"We want our young girls to be protected.. we don't want a mandate and we think that parents need to be informed and they should have access to balance information," said Tracy Lloyd, parent. 

Critics say the vaccine has not been adequately tested and two recent studies have found low rates of side effects with the HPV vaccine, gardasil. However, several cases of fainting or dizziness and a total of 32 deaths have been reported.

Still, many doctors say the drug is very effective in reducing a woman's chances of getting cervical cancer during her lifetime.

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