"Still, according to the National Cancer Institute, roughly 11,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer this year in the United States. Nearly 3,700 women will die."

3,700/year may not be an emergency, but 11,000 a year is certainly cause to respond. This is a communicable disease! You don't wait until it is so prevalent that it is unavoidable before you come up with a plan to deal with it. Scientifically, herd theory says that vaccinating children will give you the most resistant population. After a few years of vaccinating most (female) children, we should start to see some sizeable future $avings from fewer people seeking treatment for this cancer.

Your citing of the 3,700 deaths is somewhat disturbing. That is only in the US and to suggest that we shouldn't be thinking about a response is just irresponsible. This vaccine was tested and approved by the FDA. We expect the government to respond to looming health threats and other dangers. We spend millions of dollars on less common and less deadly diseases.

And just like we expect the government to respond to health concerns, the government expects us to behave responsibly. I did research on this vaccine and then got out my checkbook and paid to get it. Even though I am not at risk now, I consider it my personal responsibility to do what I can to prevent getting it and possibly spreading it to others. The same way that I take vitamins and wash my hands to help prevent disease, I got this vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. My personal cost benefit analysis said that I was eligible for the vaccine now and that a couple hundred dollars was way less than the cost of getting the disease. One less thing to worry about.