How Often Do You Have To Get The Hpv Vaccine

What Does The Hpv Vaccine Do

The HPV vaccine protects against six strains of the HPV virus that have been shown to cause cervical cancer as well as vagina, vulvar, anus, penile and throat cancers. Each year, there are about 35,000 cases of HPV-related cancer diagnosed. The most common among women is cervical cancer. The most common among men is throat cancer.

Can Pregnant Women Get The Vaccine

The vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women. Studies show that the HPV vaccine does not cause problems for babies born to women who were vaccinated while pregnant, but more research is still needed. A pregnant woman should not get any doses of the HPV vaccine until her pregnancy is completed.

Getting the HPV vaccine when pregnant is not a reason to consider ending a pregnancy. If a woman realizes that she got one or more shots of an HPV vaccine while pregnant, she should do two things:

• Wait until after her pregnancy to finish any remaining HPV vaccine doses.

What Are The Risks And Side Effects Of The Hpv Vaccine

In clinical trials and in real-world use, the HPV vaccine appears to be very safe. More than 40 million doses of the vaccine — mostly Gardasil, which was approved in 2006 — have been given in the U.S. Gardasil 9 was approved in 2014 and is now the only HPV vaccine available in the U.S.

From 2006 to 2014, there were about 25,000 reports to the government of HPV vaccine side effects. Over 90% of these were classified as nonserious. The most common side effects of the HPV vaccine are minor:

• About one in 10 people will have a mild fever after the injection.
• About one person in 30 will get itching at the injection site.
• About one in 60 people will experience a moderate fever.

These symptoms go away quickly without treatment. Other mild-to-moderate side effects resulting from the HPV vaccine include:

• Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome)
• Death

Government, academic, and other public health investigators could not identify the HPV vaccine as the cause of any severe adverse event. There were 117 deaths as of September 2015, none of which could be directly tied to the HPV vaccine. The conclusion of public health investigators was that the HPV vaccine was unlikely to be the cause of these events. Such events occur at a certain rate in any group of tens of millions of people. The vaccination before each adverse event seemed to be a simple coincidence.

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National Cancer Institute: ”Human Papillomavirus Vaccines.”

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What Hpv Vaccines Are Available

Two vaccines are available to prevent HPV infection. These vaccines do not protect against all types of HPV or other sexually transmitted infections, but offer protection against some types.

• Gardasil 9 for use in all genders. Protects against 9 different types of HPV: seven that cause cancer and two that cause genital warts.
• Gardasil for use in all genders. Protects against 4 different types of HPV: two that cause cancer and two that cause genital warts.

Gardasil quadrivalent vaccine is no longer produced, but some supplies may still be available. If you are partway through your series with it, you may get the same vaccine or the 9-valent for your remaining dose. If you completed your series with a previous HPV vaccine, there is no recommendation to receive additional 9-valent vaccine.

Reasons To Get Hpv Vaccine

All children ages 1112-years should get HPV vaccine to protect against cancers caused by HPV infections.

Almost every unvaccinated person who is sexually active will get HPV at some time in their life. About 13 million Americans, including teens, become infected with HPV each year. Most HPV infections will go away on their own. But infections that dont go away can cause certain types of cancer.

HPV can cause cancers of the:

• Penisexternal icon in men
• Anusexternal icon in both women and men
• Back of the throat , including the base of the tongue and tonsils, in both men and women

HPV infections, genital warts, and cervical precancers have dropped since the vaccine has been in use in the United States.

• Infections with HPV types that cause most HPV cancers and genital warts have dropped 88% among teen girls and 81% among young adult women.
• Among vaccinated women, the percentage of cervical precancers caused by the HPV types most often linked to cervical cancer have dropped by 40 percent.

HPV is estimated to cause nearly 36,000 cases of cancer in men and women every year in the United States. HPV vaccination can prevent 33,000 of these cancers by preventing the infections that cause them. Thats the same as the average attendance for a baseball game.

Most children only need two doses of HPV vaccine when vaccinated before age 15 years. You can take advantage of any visit to your childs doctor to get recommended vaccines for your child:

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Does The Immunisation Protect Me From Other Sexually Transmitted Infections

The HPV vaccine is designed to protect you against the 2 types of HPV that cause 75% of cervical cancer cases.

These 2 types of HPV also cause around:

• 90% of anal cancers
• 85% of head and neck cancers
• 78% of vaginal cancers
• 25% of vulval cancers across the world.

The statistics on cancers caused by HPV are different from country to country.

The vaccine also protects against 2 other types of HPV. These cause around 90% of cases of genital warts.

However, having this immunisation won’t protect you against any other sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia.

To get the best protection it’s important you have all the required doses. If you miss the immunisation session in school, you’ll be recalled to the next one.

The most important thing is to have all the required doses as soon as they’re offered at school. If you’ve left school or are unsure if you’ve missed any vaccinations, contact your GP.

You should be given a consent form and leaflet by your school. You and your parents, or carer, should discuss the information before agreeing to have the immunisation. When you’re given the consent form, you and your parents will be asked to sign it and return it to your school even if you aren’t going to have the vaccine.

We recommend you get agreement from your parent or carer, but it isn’t always necessary.

How Much Does Hpv Vaccination Cost And Will Insurance Pay For It

Most private insurance plans cover HPV vaccination. The federal Affordable Care Act requires most private insurance plans to cover recommended preventive services with no copay or deductible.

Medicaid covers HPV vaccination in accordance with ACIP recommendations, and immunizations are a mandatory service under Medicaid for eligible individuals under age 21. In addition, the federal Vaccines for Children Program provides immunization services for children younger than 19 years who are Medicaid eligible, uninsured, underinsured, or Native American or Alaska Native.

Merck, the manufacturer of Gardasil 9, offers the Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance Program, which provides Gardasil 9 for free to people aged 19 to 45 years who live in the United States, do not have health insurance, and have an annual household income less than a certain amount.

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Hpv Vaccination For Men Who Have Sex With Men

Men who have sex with men have not benefited in the same way from the longstanding girls’ programme, so may be left unprotected against HPV.

Since April 2018, MSM up to and including 45 years of age have been eligible for free HPV vaccination on the NHS when they visit sexual health clinics and HIV clinics in England.

Ask the doctor or nurse at the clinic for more details.

Why Get A Pap Test

A Pap test is one way to screen for cervical cancer. It can find this cancer early, when it’s easiest to treat.

During a Pap test, the doctor takes a sample of cells from your cervix. That sample goes to a lab. It’s tested to see if any of the cells have started to turn into cancer. Your doctor can also test the cells for HPV.

Women should get screened:

• With a Pap test once every 3 years – beginning at age 21, then at ages 24 and 27
• With a Pap test and HPV test from age 30 and every five years thereafter up to age 65
• Women can elect to continue Pap testing only every 3 years

Ask your doctor or gynecologist about your HPV and cervical cancer risks. Find out if you need to get vaccinated. And learn what other steps you can take to avoid cervical cancer.

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Frequently Asked Questionsexpand All

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What Are The Vaccines Made From

HPV vaccines stimulate the immune system to prepare antibodies against these viruses. They do not contain viruses or parts of viruses. They are made from proteins that mimic the viral envelope and are unable to infect the person who is given the vaccine. In other words, these vaccines cannot transmit a HPV infection.

Like many other vaccines, HPV vaccines contain an adjuvant, which is used to increase the immune systems response to the vaccine. HPV vaccines do not contain any preservatives, latex, antibiotics, thimerosal or mercury.

HPV vaccines are developed in accordance with the usual process prescribed by Health Canada. This process regulates and oversees vaccine research, manufacturing, licensing, efficacy and safety. All vaccines must go through this process in order to be distributed in Canada.

The manufacturer of the Cervarix® vaccine has not taken steps for this vaccine to be licensed in Canada for use in boys. It is therefore approved for use in girls and women age 9 to 45. However, scientific data, including data from a study conducted in Québec, shows that this vaccine is safe and produces a similar immune response in boys and girls. In addition, in Europe this vaccine is approved for use in boys and girls age 9 or older. Norway has been using two doses of the Cervarix® vaccine for both boys and girls since September 2018.

For more information, consult How Vaccines Work.

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Concerns About Side Effects Of Immunisation

If a side effect following immunisation is unexpected, persistent or severe, or if you are worried aboutsomeones condition after a vaccination, see your doctor or immunisation nurse as soon as possibleor go directly to a hospital.

You can report immunisation side effects to SAEFVIC, the Victorian vaccine safety and central reportingservice. In other states or territories, you can discuss with your immunisation provider how to reportadverse events.

It is important to seek medical advice for anyone who is unwell after vaccination, as this may be due toother illness rather than because of the vaccination.

Questions About How Hpv Vaccine Is Made And Works

Q. How long does it take for someone to be protected after getting the HPV vaccine?

A. It takes about two weeks after the first dose of vaccine for the immune system to generate an immune response. The additional doses make that response stronger, particularly the last one which fortifies the memory response.

Q. If I got the HPV vaccine, do I need to use protection?

A. It is important to understand that the HPV vaccine does not protect against other STDs, such as syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and herpes, nor does it protect against types of HPV to which one was already exposed. For these reasons, using protection is still prudent to consider.

I have had one dose of the HPV vaccine. Will I be protected if I become sexually active?

While you may have some protection after receiving the first dose of HPV vaccine, your best level of protection will occur after you receive all recommended doses.

I did not tell the doctor that I am sexually active before getting the HPV vaccine. Will it still work?

The HPV vaccine will not protect you against types of HPV to which you may have already been exposed however, it will protect you against types to which you were not previously exposed. Since the vaccine protects against nine types of HPV, it is likely that you can still benefit from receiving the vaccine. For this reason, knowing your sexual activity status is not a requirement for deciding whether or not you should get the HPV vaccine.

Will an HPV booster shot ever be required?

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What Are The Advantages Of Getting The Hpv Vaccine

The biggest advantage is reducing your risk for cancers caused by HPV infection. HPV is so common that around 80% of people in the United States will encounter it at some point in their lives. There is no way to know which infection can lead to cancer. Vaccinating against HPV is the best protection available at this time.

Side Effects Of The Hpv Vaccine

The side effects of the vaccination are quite mild usually just soreness, swelling and redness in the arm, which soon wears off.

Other less common side effects may include headache, nausea, dizziness and/or mild fever. These can be treated with paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Rarely, some people have a reaction soon after the injection, like a rash. The nurse will know how to treat this. It is not a reason not to have more injections for HPV or other diseases.

Severe allergic reactions are rare and nurses are trained to deal with them. People recover completely with treatment, usually within a few hours.

The vaccine meets the rigorous safety standards required for it to be used in the UK and other European countries.

Millions of doses of vaccine have already been given in the UK and around the world. As with all vaccines, reports of side effects are closely monitored and reviewed.

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Transgender People And The Hpv Vaccine

Some transgender people are also eligible for the HPV vaccine.

Trans women are eligible for the HPV vaccine if their risk of getting HPV is similar to the risk of MSM who are eligible for the HPV vaccine.

Trans men are eligible if they have sex with other men and are aged 45 or under.

If trans men have previously completed a course of HPV vaccination as part of the girls’ HPV vaccine programme, no further doses are needed.

Ask the doctor or nurse at the sexual health or HIV clinic for more details.

Page last reviewed: 10 May 2019 Next review due: 10 May 2022

When Should Adults Get The Hpv Vaccine

The best time to get the HPV vaccine is before you’ve started having sexual activity. That’s why the CDC recommends that both boys and girls get their vaccination at age 11 or 12, although they can get the vaccine as early as age 9. If you’re 13 or older and you haven’t already been vaccinated, you can still get the vaccine.

It is recommended for all people through the age of 26. Some adults ages 27-45 may get the vaccine after talking with their doctor.

How many shots do I need?

The CDC recommends two doses of HPV vaccine at age 11 or 12 years. The second shot should be given 6-12 months after the first.

If you can get all shots prior to age 15, only two are needed. Three doses are needed if you get the first dose on or after your 15th birthday, and for people with weakened immune systems. The second dose should be given 1-2 months after the first dose. And the third dose should be given 6 months after the first dose.

If I already have HPV, will this vaccine treat it?

If you have a current HPV, the vaccine won’t get rid of it. But, if you have one type of HPV, the vaccine may prevent you from getting another type of the virus. There’s really no way to treat the virus once you have it, although there are treatments for diseases caused by HPV such as genital warts and genital cancers. This is why you should have regular pelvic exams and Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer.

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Are There Different Types Of Hpv Vaccines

HPV is a group of more than 200 viruses. About 40 of these are spread through sexual contact. Of these 40, about 12 types can cause certain cancers. There are three safe and effective HPV vaccines available worldwide:

• Gardasil® 9: This is the only vaccine currently being used in the United States. Gardasil 9 protects against nine types of cancer-causing HPV, including high-risk strains. It can prevent up to 90% of cervical cancers.
• Cervarix® and Gardasil®: These two HPV vaccines are used in other countries and treat certain high-risk strains of HPV. They can prevent around 70% of cervical cancer.