Journalist Frederik Joelving, and Slate's science editor Susan Matthews, discuss Joelving's article, “What the Gardasil Testing May Have Missed,” published in Slate as well as Matthews' companion piece, “Why Is Slate Questioning Gardasil?” In this climate where it is difficult to criticize a vaccine without being regarded as vehemently anti-vaccine, they discuss the importance of adequate safety measures in trial periods, why the Gardasil trials were “suboptimal,” and why it’s important to take a more nuanced stance on vaccines. While there is no doubt that the Gardasil vaccine works, there would be fewer doubts about its side effects if trial period testing was done adequately.