The HPV vaccination programme to prevent several different cancers, including cervical cancer, has so far stopped thousands of women from developing the disease and experiencing pre-cancerous changes to cells, a study has found.
The jab protects against human papilloma virus, which causes many oral, throat and anal cancers and lasts for at least 10 years.
In the first proof that the programme launched in England 13 years ago is saving lives, the Cancer Research UK-funded study found that:
- Cervical cancer rates in women offered the vaccine between the ages of 12 and 13 (now in their 20s) were 87% lower than in an unvaccinated population
- Researchers said cases in this age group, which are rare, dropped from about 50 per year to just five
- There were reductions in cervical cancer rates of 62% in women offered vaccination between the ages of 14 and 16, and 34% in women aged 16 to 18 when vaccination was introduced.
Read more about the study from November 2021 here.
Since 2019 all young people, regardless of gender have been offered two doses of the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Vaccine. The vaccine protects against the most high-risk strains of the human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical, mouth and genital cancers.
Across Berkshire, the School-aged Immunisation team offer the 1st dose of the HPV vaccine to students in year 8 (aged 12-13) and the 2nd dose to all students in year 9 (13-14) (around 12 months later).
The team also continue to offer a catch-up programme to any eligible young person that has previously missed the vaccine. However, the younger you are when you receive the vaccine the more effective it is, because young people need to receive the vaccine before they encounter any HPV virus.
You can read more about the HPV vaccine in this leaflet.
Visit our School Aged Immunisation Team pages for more information on the HPV and other vaccinations.