Father expresses belief that HPV vaccination could have prevented daughter's cervical cancer.
Let's Talk About Vaccinations: Why HPV Vaccine Matters
Close family members of a 25-year-old woman, who tragically lost her life to cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) in 2012, are urging parents to get their kids vaccinated. Wayne Griffiths, a resident of Talbot Green, Rhondda Cynon Taf, expresses his profound grief, knowing that had the vaccine been available when his daughter Rhian was young, she might still be here today.
HPV, a common family of viruses, is estimated to infect about 8 out of 10 people during their lifetimes, as per Public Health Wales (PHW). This type of virus is known to cause cancer and, unfortunately, claimed Rhian's life.
In schools across Wales, the HPV vaccine is now being offered to all Year 8 students, as well as those who might have missed their prior vaccinations.
Recent studies have shed light on the potential effectiveness of a single-dose HPV vaccination in preventing cervical cancer. For instance, the KEN SHE study has shown a staggering efficacy rate of 98% for preventing HPV types 16/18 among young women [2]. The ESCUDDO trial, involving over 20,000 girls aged 12 to 16, demonstrated that one dose of both the bivalent and nonavalent vaccines was as effective as, if not more than, two doses, with efficacy exceeding 97% [3]. The World Health Organization (WHO) has even proposed a single-dose vaccination regimen to increase global uptake [3].
The HPV vaccine is designed to be administered before individuals become sexually active. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) generally recommend getting vaccinated between ages 11 to 12, although it can be given as early as age 9. Catch-up vaccinations are recommended for those who did not get fully vaccinated when they were younger, until age 26 for both males and females [5].
Shifting towards a single-dose vaccination regimen could lead to similar reductions in HPV and cervical cancer incidence as maintaining a two-dose regimen. This change could potentially facilitate broader vaccine adoption and speed up the progress towards global cervical cancer elimination. However, overcoming obstacles to uptake, such as common misconceptions about the vaccine and accessibility concerns, remains a significant challenge [4]. Let's work together to ensure that more young lives are saved.
- The HPV vaccine, which is known to prevent cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), is now offered to Year 8 students in schools across Wales, as well as those who might have missed their prior vaccinations.
- Recent studies suggest that a single-dose HPV vaccination could be just as effective as, if not more than, the two-dose regimen, with efficacy rates exceeding 97%.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed a single-dose vaccination regimen to increase global uptake of the HPV vaccine.
- The HPV vaccine is designed to be administered before individuals become sexually active, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) generally recommending getting vaccinated between ages 11 to 12, although it can be given as early as age 9.
- Overcoming obstacles to uptake, such as common misconceptions about the vaccine and accessibility concerns, remains a significant challenge in ensuring more young lives are saved from cervical cancer.
- Mental-health, fitness-and-exercise, nutrition, and women's-health are all important aspects of health-and-wellness that go hand in hand with sexual-health and HPV vaccination.
- It's crucial to address misconceptions about the HPV vaccine and improve accessibility to ensure that science plays a part in improving the lives of people dealing with medical-conditions like cervical cancer, focusing on wellness as a whole.
