Dr Kiran Kumar Medical Officer of Health	Dr Sook Yin Medical Director of Cancer Society

A vaccine against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) will become available free of charge from 3 December at government hospitals and clinics, according to the Health Services Authorities (HSA).

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes cancer of the cervix, genital warts and some precancerous lesions of the cervix, vagina and vulva.

Medical Officer of Health Dr Kiran Kumar said this is a joint initiative of the HSA and the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, which is contributing $30,000 towards the purchase of the vaccine.

Medical Director of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society Dr Sook Yin said: “The Cancer Society is pleased to contribute to help make the HPV vaccine available to young ladies in the community; it would be fair to call this a milestone in the prevention of cervical cancer in the Cayman Islands.”

Health Minister Hon Anthony Eden, who earlier this year promised to have the vaccine on Islands, commended the ongoing collaboration between the two organisations.

“Our immunization programme continues to be among our best investments. I encourage young women, and, where parental permission is appropriate, I also encourage their parents, to take advantage of this new development in the programme,” he said.

The vaccine will be available from the Public Health Clinic at the Cayman Islands Hospital every Wednesday from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm as of 3 December. Appointments must be made, by contacting the Public Health Clinic at 244-2648. The vaccine will be administered at no charge to the public.

The HPV vaccine is given in three shots over a six-month period, and is routinely recommended for 11 and 12 year old girls. However, the vaccine is approved for females from age nine to 26 years.

Dr Kumar notes that “as this is a new vaccine, it is essential for anyone wishing to have the vaccination, and their parents, in the case of under-age young women - to be fully informed prior to receiving the shot”.

One way of doing this is by attending the ‘Awareness Sessions’ provided by the Cayman Islands Cancer Society and the Health Services Authority. Schedules of the Awareness Sessions will be published periodically through the media.

In the case of minors it is essential for them to be accompanied by their parents or guardian to get the HPV vaccine. Parents and guardians should note that the HPV vaccine is known to be of greatest benefit, if it is administered before the onset of sexual activity.

Leaflets about the Human Papillomavirus vaccine will also be available at Awareness Sessions, the Cayman Islands Cancer Society and at various public and private healthcare facilities


What is Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that is passed on through the genital contact, most often during sex. More than 50 percent of sexually active people will get HPV at some time in their lives, though most will never even know it. It is most common in people in their late teens and early 20s.

There are about 40 types of HPV that can infect the genital areas of men and women. Most HPV types cause no symptoms and go away on their own. But some types can cause cervical cancer (cancer of the lower end of the uterus also known as womb) in women. Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women around the world.

HPV is also associated with several less common genital cancers— like cancers of the anus, vagina, and vulva (area around the opening of the vagina).

Some types of HPV can cause warts in the genital areas of men and women, called genital warts. Genital warts are not serious conditions, but they can cause emotional stress and their treatment can be very uncomfortable.


What is HPV vaccine?

HPV vaccine(injection/shot) is given to girls and women 9 through 26 years of age to help protect against diseases caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV) such as cervical cancer, other genital cancers and genital warts.

The vaccine protects against four types (6, 11, 16, & 18) of HPV. The vaccine cannot protect against other types of HPV and it does not treat HPV infection.


Who should get the HPV vaccine?

HPV vaccine is of greatest benefit if it is administered before the onset of sexual activity. Hence this vaccine is routinely recommended for 11 and 12 year-old girls. However, it is approved for females from age 9 to 26 years.


Who should not get the HPV vaccine?

Anyone who has had an allergic reaction after getting a dose of HPV vaccine or a severe allergic reaction to yeast should not get the HPV vaccine.

Why is the HPV vaccine only recommended for girls/women through age 26?

The vaccine has been widely tested in girls/women 9 through 26 years of age. New research is being done on the vaccine’s safety and efficacy in women older than 26 years of age. When there is enough research to show that it is safe and effective for older women, it will be offered.


How is the HPV vaccine given?

The vaccine is given in three shots over a six month period.

* 1st dose - selected date

* 2nd dose – 2 months after first date

* 3rd dose – 6 months after first dose.

It is not yet known how much protection girls/women would get from receiving only one or two doses of the vaccine. For this reason, it is very important that girls/women get all three doses of the vaccine.


Will sexually active females benefit from the vaccine?

Ideally females should get the vaccine before they become sexually active, when they may be exposed to HPV.

Females who are sexually active may also benefit from the vaccine, but they may get less benefit from it because they may have already gotten a HPV type (6, 11, 16, & 18) targeted by the vaccine.

Few sexually active young women are infected with all HPV types covered by the vaccine so they would still get protection from those types they have not yet gotten. Currently, there is no test available to tell if a girl/woman has had HPV in the past, or which types.


Can pregnant women get the vaccine?

The vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women. There has been limited research looking at vaccine safety for pregnant women and their unborn babies. So far, studies suggest that the vaccine does not cause health problems for pregnant women or their unborn child. But more research is still needed.

For now, pregnant women should wait until their pregnancy is over before getting the vaccine. If a woman finds out she is pregnant after she has started getting the vaccine series, she should wait until her pregnancy is over before finishing the three-dose series.


Should girls/women be screened for cervical cancer before getting vaccinated?

No. Girls/women do not need to get a HPV test or Pap test to find out if they should get the vaccine. Neither of these tests can tell the specific HPV type(s) that a woman has (or has had in the past), so there’s no way to know if she has already had the HPV types covered by the vaccine.


How long does vaccine protection last? Will a booster shot be needed?

Research suggests that vaccine protection will last a long time. More research is being done to find out if women will need a booster vaccine many years after getting vaccinated to boost protection.


What does the vaccine not protect against?

The vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV— so it will not prevent all cases of cervical cancer. About 30 percent of cervical cancers will not be prevented by the vaccine. Hence it will be important for women to continue getting screened for cervical cancer (regular Pap tests).
The vaccine does not prevent other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). So it will still be important for sexually active persons to lower their risk for other STIs.


How safe is the HPV vaccine?

This vaccine has been licensed by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and approved by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as safe and effective.

It was studied in thousands of females (ages 9 through 26 years) around the world and its safety continues to be monitored by CDC and the FDA.

Studies have found no serious side effects. The most common side effect is soreness in the arm (where the shot is given).

There have recently been some reports of fainting in teens after they got the vaccine. For this reason, it is recommended that patients wait in the clinic for 15 minutes after getting the vaccine.