HPV Vaccine: What we should know about it
On May 13, 2007
Categories: Cervical Cancer, Drug Information, HPV, Infections, Sexual Health, Women's Health
The development of HPV Vaccine is one of revolutionary contributions to cervical cancer treatment. HPV or Human papillomavirus is considered the causative agent for cervical cancer.
The FDA or Food and Drug Administration recently licensed the vaccine Gardasil® which is said to protect against four HPV types, which together cause 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts.
Who should get the vaccine?
The HPV vaccine is recommended for 11-12 year-old girls, and can be given to girls as young as 9. The vaccine is also recommended for 13-26 year-old girls/women who have not yet received or completed the vaccine series.
How effective is the vaccine?
Studies have found the vaccine to be almost 100% effective in preventing diseases caused by the four HPV types covered by the vaccine– including precancers of the cervix, vulva and vagina, and genital warts. The vaccine has mainly been studied in young women who had not been exposed to any of the four HPV types in the vaccine.
The vaccine was less effective in young women who had already been exposed to one of the HPV types covered by the vaccine.
This vaccine does not treat existing HPV infections, genital warts, precancers or cancers.
Female should get the vaccine before they get sexually active because because the vaccine is most effective in girls/women who have not yet acquired any of the four HPV types covered by the vaccine. Girls/women who have not been infected with any of those four HPV types will get the full benefits of the vaccine.
Is the vaccine safe?
The FDA has licensed the HPV vaccine as safe and effective. This vaccine has been tested in over 11,000 females (ages 9-26 years) around the world. These studies have shown no serious side effects. The most common side effect is soreness at the injection site. CDC, working with the FDA, will continue to monitor the safety of the vaccine after it is in general use.
Pregnant women should not take the vaccine because only few researches were done to prove it safety to the fetus.
More of this vaccine at the CDC or Center for Disease Control site
