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Medical · November 3, 2021

HPV, Cervical Cancer Vaccine: 14 Facts

Gardasil is the new vaccine produced to fight against HPV (Human Papilloma Virus), a known cause of genital warts and cervical cancer. It is now available to the general public, and here is all you need to know about it.

  1. What is Gardasil?

Gardasil is an authorised vaccine for the prevention of four specific strains of the human papillomavirus: HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-16 and HPV-18. 70% of all cervical cancers can be attributed to HPV-16 and HPV-18, while HPV-6 and HPV-11 are responsible for 90% of genital warts. There is also an association between the virus and anal cancer.

  1. How does HPV spread?

Being one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, the fastest way it spreads is through sexual activities. Statistics revealed by the CDC show that over 20 million people have an active infection, and each year an alarming 6.2 million people, get infected. The age range of half of these infected folks falls between ages 15 to 24.

  1. Is the new vaccine effective?

Research shows that in the prevention of cervical cancers and precancers, both caused by HPV-16 and HPV-18, Gardasil is 100% effective.

  1. Does the vaccine protect against all cervical cancers?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t. The vaccine is created to protect against HPV strains with the highest probability of causing cancer. This means screening with a pap test is still necessary precaution for cervical cancer.

In spite of this, recent studies imply that Gardasil could provide more protection than initially believed. There exists preliminary evidence that suggests the vaccine prevents against other strains of the virus responsible for 8% – 9% of cervical cancers.

  1. Who Should Get The Vaccine?

Females between the ages of 9 to 26 have been approved to receive this vaccination. It is also recommended by health experts that girls aged 11 to 12 should be routinely given this vaccine. Ladies between the age 13 to 26 who weren’t able to get the vaccine at a younger age are also eligible for it.

It is worth mentioning that if a female is infected with the virus already, vaccination will not stop the HPV strain from causing the disease. It can only protect from further infections or other strains of the virus present in the vaccine. The vaccine is still being studied in women age 45 and above.

Gardasil has also been studied in males as they can also get infected and pass the virus to their partners. Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes genital warts and has been linked to uncommon cancer cases of the penis. This is especially true for homosexual men as HPV has been associated with anal cancers.

  1. What is the most appropriate way to talk to my daughter about this?

You could stress the importance of prevention against cervical cancer as the primary objective. If you have concerns that this may give your child the false hope or idea that they can engage in sexual relations and not get infected with a sexually transmitted infection, you can always emphasise the fact that the vaccine is only able to prevent infection of some of the strains of HPV and not all. It doesn’t protect you against the various other types of STIs out there.

  1. Can the vaccine work for someone who is sexually active?

This is dependent on whether the individual is already infected or not. The vaccine cannot work on anyone who is already infected with any of the four HPV strains it is supposed to protect against. It can only protect against new infections from the remaining three strains.

  1. How long does the vaccine last?

Although long-term results are unclear, studies have shown that Gardasil is effective for at least four years.

  1. Does Gardasil contain HPV or any other virus?

No, it does not. The vaccine does have particles bearing the similitude of the virus, but it is not the real virus.

  1. Is the vaccine safe?

Evidence from clinical trials has shown that it is.

  1. Is the HPV vaccine expensive? Can it be covered by insurance?

The vaccine does not come cheap, and you will need about three doses. Certain programs for children provide free vaccines to those under 19 years of age that meet the requirements.  You can get more information on the medical express clinic website.

  1. Is the vaccine available everywhere?

A large number of supplies have been delivered to different clinics across the country.

  1. Is this the only vaccine for cervical cancer?

There is another vaccine still in production, and it mainly protects against HPV-16 and HPV-18 strains. Preliminary studies have found this new vaccine to be safe and effective as well.

  1. How common is cervical and how fatal is it?

The second most common type of cancer affecting women worldwide is cervical cancer. The number of new cases is constantly on the increase, and so is the number of deaths every year. As stated by the World Health Organisation, an estimated 80% of these cases occur in impoverished countries where cervical cancer is the leading type of cancer in women.

Getting vaccinated offers you protection against certain strains of the virus that can cause genital warts and cervical cancer. Visit us at www.medicalexpressclinic.co.uk to book an appointment for your vaccination.