HPV Infection And The Vaccine: Questions And Cautions, Canada

Main Category: Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 02 Aug 2007 - 3:00 PDT

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After a careful review of the literature, including that submitted by the manufacturer with its application for the approval of Gardasil (the HPV vaccine approved for use by Health Canada), Abby Lippman PhD and colleagues find a number of unanswered questions that lead them to conclude that a universal vaccination program aimed at girls and women in Canada is, at this time, premature and could possibly have unintended negative consequences for individuals and for society as a whole.

These questions include: What are the clear and tangible goals of the Canadian initiative (each goal requires a specific approach)? Will a booster dose be required, and if so, when? Where are the data on the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine when co-administered with other immunizations, as may occur in real practice? How will factors such as a person's nutrition status, smoking status and general health (e.g., comorbidities) influence the safety or usefulness of the HPV vaccine? And might misunderstandings about what the vaccine does and does not do lead to reductions in safer sex practices and Pap screening rates?

The authors provide some general recommendations for the development of a mass HPV vaccination program, including a call for government to educate the public about the realities of cervical cancer, HPV infection and HPV vaccinations, to set goals for a mass vaccination program and to support unbiased research to collect data now missing.

"Human papillomavirus, vaccines and women's health: questions and cautions"
Abby Lippman PhD, Ryan Melnychuk PhD, Carolyn Shimmin BJ, Madeline Boscoe RN DU

Canadian Medical Association Journal
http://www.cmaj.ca

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