Should My Daughter Get The HPV Vaccine?

Main Category: Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 28 Aug 2007 - 18:00 PDT

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Physicals and immunizations are all part of the back-to-school ritual. After a summer of information overload about the new HPV vaccine, many parents are wondering if it's necessary for their daughters. According to the doctors at the University of Southern California, you may want to consider adding the HPV vaccine to your daughter¹s to-do list.

'The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, haves recommended that all girls from 11-12 years old routinely receive the HPV vaccine,' says Nandini Datta, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. 'This vaccine is meant to prevent cervical cancer by preventing infection with cancer-causing HPV. The vaccine has been shown to be safe in women aged 9-26 and the ideal candidate is a girl prior to sexual activity. If the patient is older than 12, I think it¹s reasonable to discuss with your physician if this is something right for her.'

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually-transmitted infections in the U.S. While most HPV types cause no symptoms, according to the CDC there are a few types that can cause cervical cancer in women. In the U.S., about 6.2 million people become infected with HPV each year and more than half of all sexually active men and women become infected at some time in their lives.

Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first HPV vaccine, Gardasil, which is indicated for girls from nine to 26 years old. Gardasil protects women from the HPV strains that are responsible for 70% of all cervical cancers and 90% of all genital warts. Although it does not protect women from all variations of HPV, studies have shown that the vaccine is effective in preventing disease caused by four HPV strains.

'Since the vaccine does not protect against all HPV strains, it is still important for women to continue to receive yearly screenings,' continues Datta. 'Women should have regular Pap tests beginning at the age of 21 or three years after the onset of sexual activity.'

http://www.usc.edu