Human papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to cancer
Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Persistent infection with a high-risk HPV type causes virtually all cases of cervical cancer and has been associated with 90% of anal, 70% of vaginal, 40% of vulvar and 65% of penile cancers,1 as well as up to 70% of oropharyngeal cancers, which is on the rise.2
HPV vaccines can prevent cancer
Large randomized controlled trials of bivalent (Cervarix), quadrivalent (Gardasil) and nonavalent (Gardasil9) vaccines show that these vaccines prevent about 70% of anogenital cancers. Nonavalent vaccine prevents up to an additional 14% of anogenital cancers caused by the additional five HPV types. Quadrivalent and nonavalent vaccines also prevent 90% of anogenital warts.1
HPV vaccines are safe
Data from clinical trials and safety surveillance show no evidence of increased frequency of systemic or serious adverse events.1,3 After systematic investigations, the World Health Organization’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety4 and the Institute of Medicine issued reports concluding that there is no evidence to support an association between HPV vaccine and serious adverse events.5
Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends use of HPV vaccine for females and males
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has recommended HPV immunization for females aged 9 years and older since 2007 and for males between 9 and 26 years of age since 2012 (see Appendix 1, available at www.cmaj.ca/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1503/cmaj.150465/-/DC1).6 Two doses of HPV vaccine among immunocompetent 9- to 14-year-olds provide similar protective efficacy as three doses in immunocompetent 9- to 26-year-olds.7
HPV vaccination rates are suboptimal
By 2010, all Canadian jurisdictions had implemented school-based immunization programs for girls, and some also have programs for boys. However, only 74.6% of 13- to 14-year-old girls across Canada have received at least one dose of HPV vaccine.8 Physicians can increase vaccine coverage by recommending this vaccine to their patients.
Footnotes
Competing interests: None declared.
This article has been peer reviewed.