In January of this year NACI, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization in Canada, proposed vaccinating all Canadian women and girls from nine to 26 years of age against the HP virus as a step towards preventing cervical cancer.
Now the Canadian Department of Health has announced that it will be introducing a national immunization program against human papilloma viruses (HPV), the leading cause of cervical cancer, from this fall. To start with, girls in Nova Scotia aged 12 or 13 will be administered three doses of the vaccine Gardasil over a course of six months.
Although the program is funded by the government and is highly recommended the vaccine, however, will not be obligatory and parents will be free to withdraw their children from it if they so desire.
Barry Barnet, Nova Scotia Health Minister made the announcement that girls in grade seven will be the first to receive the vaccination.
The program is expected to cut cases of cervical cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer among women, by 70 per cent.
HPV causes genital warts and is transmitted through sexual activity. Although most infections automatically disappear some infections persist and do lead to cervical cancer.
Around 1500 Canadian women are known to develop cervical cancer each year, about 420 of whom will die from it. In Britain over a thousand of the 3,000 women diagnosed with it each year die from it.
In fact HPV is so common that it is commonly calculated that about 75% of women will encounter it in their lifetime and many of them will not even be aware that they have been infected.
The HPV vaccine is most effective when administered before a girl becomes sexually active and other Western governments are also looking at it as a cost-effective way of preventing numerous cancer cases.
Cancer Care Nova Scotia's Dr. Rob Crimshaw states, "As women become sexually active and as they get older, and are more exposed to the cancer causing HPV, the vaccine is not as effective."
Completely effective for those who have not yet been exposed to the virus, and 71% effective in those who have already been exposed to it, the vaccine sold under the brand name Gardasil in Canada was approved by health Canada in 2006. It prevents two strains of the virus responsible for 70% of cervical cancer cases.
Although Joanna Jodrey sexual health advocate supports the campaign she cautions that attention must be paid to the other 30% and they must be approached through education and pap testing.
However some oppose the campaign fearing that it would imply that underage sex and promiscuity were acceptable to young girls.
A similar program has also been endorsed in the United Kingdom. After the recommendation was made the Director of Immunization at the U.K. Department of Health, Dr. David Salisbury, concurred, "This is a huge step forward in preventing cancer."
Caroline Flint, public health minister, agreed. "The benefits of introducing this vaccine will be felt by women and their families for generations to come," she said.
