Paying To Have The Hpv Vaccine
You may choose to have the HPV vaccine privately. The Gardasil, Cervarix and Gardasil 9 vaccines are sometimes available from travel clinics, local pharmacies and other health centres. Each dose usually costs about £150.
You may be able to have the vaccine privately at your GP, but some surgeries will charge an extra administration fee. Check the full cost before you book an appointment.
Different places may only offer the HPV vaccine to people up to a certain age. For example, some pharmacies only offer it to people up to age 45. Check if there is an age limit wherever you want to book an appointment.
What Is The Recommended Schedule For Doses Of The Hpv Vaccine
The HPV vaccine is given as a series of two or three shots:
- Adolescents under age 15 should get a second shot 6 to 12 months after their first dose. If both doses are given fewer than 5 months apart, a third dose should be administered.
- Teens and young adults ages 16 to 26 years old should get three shots. The recommended dosage schedule after the first shot is the second at 1 or 2 months and the third at 6 months.
- Immunocompromised people ages 9 to 26 years old should get three shots. The dosing schedule is the same as for young adults.
HPV often clears on its own. In people where the virus does not go away on its own, genital warts or cancer may occur, years after infection.
The HPV vaccine can prevent many cases of:
Since the HPV vaccine was not studied in people who knew they were pregnant, it shouldnt be given to pregnant people.
If youre feeling ill, your doctor may recommend that you wait to get the vaccine.
Some components of the vaccine are produced in bakers yeast. If you are allergic or sensitive to yeast, you should not take the vaccine.
If you live outside the U.S., the vaccine may come in a prefilled syringe with a natural rubber latex tip. Do not take the vaccine if youre allergic to latex.
If you have a severe allergic reaction to your first vaccine dose, do not get a second dose.
Hpv Tests Check For High
These tests are usually used to identify women who are at high-risk of having precancerous changes and developing cervical cancer. Research shows that HPV testing is more accurate than the Pap test in finding precancerous changes in the cervix. Researchers are still trying to find the best way to use the HPV test as a part of cervical cancer screening. are an effective way to find cervical cancer.
HPV tests are available in some areas of Canada. In provinces that use HPV tests as part of their cervical cancer screening programs, they are generally used as a follow-up to abnormal Pap tests results.
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Who Shouldnt Have The Hpv Vaccine
You should not have the HPV vaccine if:
- you had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the HPV vaccine
- you are pregnant.
If you feel unwell and have a high temperature when you are due to have the HPV vaccine, you should have it another time. This is to avoid confusing the illness with any side effects of the vaccine.
If you are unsure about whether you should have the HPV vaccine, it is best to speak with your nurse or doctor.
Hpv Vaccine Schedule And Dosing
About 85% of people will get an HPV infection in their lifetime. Recommending HPV vaccination for all 1112 year-olds can protect them long before they are ever exposed. CDC recommends two doses of HPV vaccine for all adolescents at age 11 or 12 years.
- A 2-dose schedule is recommended for people who get the first dose before their 15th birthday. In a 2-dose series, the second dose should be given 612 months after the first dose .
- The minimum interval is 5 months between the first and second dose. If the second dose is administered after a shorter interval, a third dose should be administered a minimum of 5 months after the first dose and a minimum of 12 weeks after the second dose.
- If the vaccination schedule is interrupted, vaccine doses do not need to be repeated .
- Immunogenicity studies have shown that 2 doses of HPV vaccine given to 914 year-olds at least 6 months apart provided as good or better protection than 3 doses given to older adolescents or young adults.
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Monitoring For Possible Side Effects
Like all vaccines, even old vaccines approved many years ago, the HPV vaccines are continuously monitored for side effects. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration review all serious side effects reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System to watch for potential safety concerns that may need further study.
Why Should The Hpv Vaccine Be Given To Pre
The vaccine work best at this age. Research shows that younger people have a better immune response to the vaccine than those in their late teens and early 20s. And, the vaccines will prevent the covered types of HPV only if they are given before exposure to the virus.
This is also an age when other vaccinations are given, and when children are likely to still be getting regular medical check-ups.
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What Changes To Hpv Immunisation Happened From 1 January 2017
From 1 January 2017, HPV immunisation is funded for everyone aged 926 including boys and young men.
Gardasil 9 will replace the existing Gardasil vaccine. The vaccine is given as two doses to those aged 14 years and under, and three doses to those aged 15 years and older.
The vaccine is offered to boys and girls through participating schools at Year 8, around age 12. HPV immunisation is also available free through general practices from 9 years of age.
Gardasil 9 is being used in schools from the beginning of 2017, and in general practices later in the year once stocks of the existing Gardasil vaccine have run out. Those who have begun immunisation with the existing Gardasil vaccine should complete the course with that vaccine while it is available .
What Are The Hpv Vaccine Ingredients
The HPV vaccine contains no viruses and is not made from human papillomavirus. The active ingredients in the HPV vaccine are proteins that are similar to those found in the human papillomavirus. Genetically modified bacteria produce the proteins, which are then purified and mixed into a sterile, water-based solution.
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Who Should Get The Vaccine
Gardasil® and Gardasil®9
Gardasil® and Gardasil®9 are approved for use in females aged 9-45 and males aged 9-26.
These vaccines require 3 doses to be given over the course of 6 months . For healthy, immunocompetent, non-HIV infected individuals 9 to less than 15 years age, two doses of the vaccine at least 6 months apart may be given.
- Recommendations for use, which come from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization , were initially released in February 2007, and updated in January 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2017 as new evidence emerged. NACI recommends Gardasil® and Gardasil®9 in females and males 9 to less than 27 years of age, including women who have had previous Pap test abnormalities, cervical cancer or individuals who have previously had genital warts. NACI also recommends that these vaccines may be administered to individuals 27 years of age and older at ongoing risk of exposure to HPV. HPV is a sexually transmitted infection, and ideally, the vaccine should be administered before sexual debut in order to ensure maximum benefit.
For more details on the NACI Statement, see “Update on Human Papillomavirus Vaccines”.
Cervarix®
Cervarix® is approved for use in females aged 9 to 45. At this time Cervarix® has not been approved for use in males in Canada.
The vaccine requires 3 doses to be given over the course of 6 months . For healthy, immunocompetent, non-HIV infected females 9 to less than 15 years age, two doses of the vaccine at least 6 months apart may be given.
Who Should Be Vaccinated For Hpv
Females between 9 and 45 years of age can be vaccinated with Cervarix, Gardasil or Gardasil 9 to prevent cervical cancer and precancerous cervical changes. Gardasil and Gardasil 9 may also prevent vaginal, vulvar and anal cancers and their precancers, as well as anogenital warts.
Its important to know that HPV vaccines do not replace cervical cancer screening. Your doctor will still. HPV vaccines prevent infection from the most common types of HPV related to cancer, but not all.
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Common Questions About The Hpv Vaccine Schedule
ACIP makes recommendations based on the best available scientific evidence. Immunogenicity studies have shown that 2 doses of HPV vaccine given at least 6 months apart to 914 year-olds provided as good or better antibody response than 3 doses given to older adolescents or young adults.
Answering parents questions: The data we have from current scientific studies show that 2 doses of HPV vaccine given at least 6 months apart were as good or better than 3 doses in children 914 years of age. The immune response for older people hasnt been studied in the same way, so we dont have information available for that age group. For that reason, older teens and adults still need three doses for best protection.
Yes. In a 2-dose schedule of HPV vaccine, the recommended interval is 612 months, and the minimum interval is 5 months between the first and second dose. If the second dose is given earlier than 5 months, a third dose should be given.
Answering parents questions: The recommended schedule is 2 doses given 6 to 12 months apart. The minimum amount of time between those doses is 5 months. Because your child received 2 doses less than 5 months apart, well need to give your child a third dose.
Answering parents questions: Even though CDC has recommended just 2 doses of HPV for kids under 15 years, well need to give your child 3 doses because he/she has a health condition that can weaken the immune system.
Answering patients questions:
Older Hpv Vaccine Cuts Cervical Cancer Rate Up To 87% Study Finds
> > Reuters
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Parsia Jahandani gives Savannah, 12, hepatitis, HPV, and meningitis vaccines at a back-to-school coronavirus disease and other vaccination clinic, in Westminster, California, US, August 19, 2021. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
Young women who were vaccinated against human papillomavirus in their teens with an older GlaxoSmithKline product called Cervarix had up to an 87% lower risk of developing cervical cancer linked to the virus, a long-running English study found.
When the vaccinated women were in their 20s, those who had received the series of shots between ages 12 and 13 had cervical cancer rates that were 87% lower than unvaccinated women who had been screened for the malignancy.
The cancer rate was 62% lower when the shots were given between ages 14 and 16 and reduced by 34% in women vaccinated between ages 16 and 18, researchers reported in The Lancet medical journal.
Rates of a precancerous condition were reduced by 97% when the shots were given at ages 12 and 13, the study also found.
The findings “should greatly reassure those still hesitant about the benefits of HPV vaccination,” the researchers said.
The study, funded by Cancer Research UK, looked at registry data from January 2006 to June 2019 on women who had been screened for cervical cancer between ages 20 and 64, including women who received the Cervarix vaccine after it became available in 2008.
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Immunizing Agents Authorized For Use In Canada
HPV vaccines
- CERVARIX® , GlaxoSmithKline Inc. .
- GARDASIL® , Merck Canada Inc. .
- GARDASIL®9 , Merck Canada Inc.
For complete prescribing information, consult the product leaflet or information contained within the product monograph available through Health Canada’s Drug Product Database.
Refer to Contents in Immunizing Agents Available for Use in Canada in Part 1 for a list of vaccines available for use in Canada and their contents.
Are There Reasons To Not Get Vaccinated Later In Life
Women who are pregnant are recommended to wait, as is true of many vaccines.
Have more questions about HPV, the vaccine, and cancer? Check out our FAQ for answers.
For the rest of the population, this is an incredibly safe and helpful vaccine. The benefits far outweigh any potential risks, which have proven to be negligible. Its also important to understand that the vaccines safety record is based on strong data from a very large number of people who have received the vaccine.
There have been concerns that supplies of the vaccine may be in low in some countries where rates of HPV and cervical cancer are particularly high, such as in many parts of Latin America.
However, there is plenty of vaccine in the United States. And its not clear that adequate supplies in one country will solve a shortage in a different country. Pharmaceutical markets are not that simple.
One of the most serious drawbacks to getting the vaccine later in life is cost. The vaccine costs around $600 and many insurers do not cover it after adolescence. However, that appears to be changing recently. And with federal health officials expanding the recommended age range for vaccination, more insurers are expected to cover it.
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How Long Will The Vaccine Prevent Hpv Infection
How long a vaccine will protect people is never known when the vaccine is first introduced. Current research shows that the vaccine is effective, and theres no sign that the protection decreases with time. Research will continue to look at how long protection against HPV lasts, and if booster shots will be needed.
How Is The Hpv Vaccine Given
The HPV vaccine is given as 2 injections into the upper arm spaced at least 6 months apart.
It’s important to have both doses of the vaccine to be properly protected.
If you missed the HPV vaccine offered in school Year 8, you can get it for free up until your 25th birthday.
But if you get your 1st vaccine dose at the age of 15 or over, you’ll need to have 3 injections.
Men who have sex with men , and trans men and trans women who are eligible for the vaccine, will need 3 doses of the vaccine .
If you need 3 doses of the vaccine:
- the 2nd dose should be given at least 1 month after the 1st dose
- the 3rd dose should be given at least 3 months after the 2nd dose
It’s important to have all 3 vaccine doses to be properly protected.
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How Long Has Hpv Immunisation Been Available In New Zealand
The HPV Immunisation Programme started in New Zealand in September 2008, for girls and young women up to their 20th birthday. Over 200,000 girls and young women have been fully immunised against HPV in New Zealand.
HPV vaccines were first approved by the United States FDA in 2006. Over 165 million doses have been distributed worldwide since then.
What Should People Over 26 Consider If They Want To Talk To Their Doctor About The Vaccine
People should recognize that life circumstances can change. A monogamous relationship may end and a person may start dating again. Getting the vaccine later in life wont cure HPV if a person already has it. But if a person has one strain of the disease, getting vaccinated will protect against other strains, which may include the high-risk forms.
I weighed some of these factors after I was divorced. I decided it made sense to get lifelong protection. So I got the vaccine as a man in my early 40s.
Its also worth pointing out that people are living longer. Newly diagnosed cases of sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise among older people, meaning that sexual activity when older is not free of risk. HPV among unvaccinated older people could very likely be rising as well.
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False Claims About The Hpv Vaccine
We are aware of stories on social media claiming that the HPV vaccine causes an increase in cases of:
- postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome an increase in heart rate that can make you feel faint and dizzy
- complex regional pain syndrome a form of chronic pain that usually affects an arm or a leg
The European Medicines Agency researched these claims in 2015. They found no evidence that the HPV vaccine leads to an increase in these conditions.
Read the EMA’s report on the HPV vaccine and read about research from other countries here.
How Hpv Is Spread
Human papillomavirus infection is very common with as many as half the population infected with HPV some time in their lives. You can catch it through intimate sexual contact with another person who already has the virus.
There are over 100 types of HPV but only 13 of them are known to cause cancer. There are usually no symptoms, so many wont realise they are infected.
Most of the time, the virus does not cause cancer. This is because it is killed off by the bodys immune system, but not always. Some infections persist and lead to cancer or genital warts – this is why the vaccine is so important.
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Safety And Adverse Events
Common and local adverse events
Based on pre-licensure clinical trials, involving more than 15,000 subjects given HPV4 vaccine and 12,000 given HPV2 vaccine, the most common adverse events in persons receiving HPV vaccines were: injection site pain , swelling or redness . These adverse events were observed significantly more often following HPV vaccine than following active vaccine or placebo controls. In over 94% of subjects who received HPV vaccine, the reactions were mild to moderate in intensity, resolved over a few days, and did not prevent completion of the immunization schedule. Systemic adverse events, such as fatigue, myalgia, headache, fever, and nausea, generally occurred with comparable frequency in vaccine and control groups. The safety profile of HPV9 vaccine is comparable to HPV4 vaccine, although mild to moderate intensity injection site reactions are more common following receipt of HPV9 vaccine.
Since vaccine licensure, hundreds of millions of doses of HPV vaccine have been distributed worldwide. Data from post-licensure safety surveillance reporting systems have consistently mirrored the pre-licensure data with the most frequently reported adverse events following immunization being vaccination site reactions and muscle pain.
Less common and serious or severe adverse events
Other reported adverse events and conditions
Guidance on Reporting Adverse Events Following Immunization
Contraindications and precautions