An immunization that prevents cervical cancer will soon be available to all women in B.C. under the age of 22.
Beginning this month, the province is offering a one-time program to deliver the human papilomavirus (HPV) vaccine to women born in 1991, 1992 and 1993. The vaccine will be provided in three doses over a six-month period.
"We have been offering the school-based HPV vaccination program since 2008, which has helped to protect thousands of British Columbian girls from cervical cancer," said provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall. "I am pleased that with this program we can expand that to ensure that all young British Columbian women aged 21 and under will have had an opportunity to protect themselves."
In 2008, B.C. offered the vaccine to girls in Grades 6 and 9. The vaccine has been available to girls born in 1994 or later through school-based programs. Until now, it was not available to women born before 1994.
The vaccine offers protection that can prevent an estimated 70 per cent of the types of cancer as well as eliminating the need for treatment of some pre-cancerous changes to the cervix.
"The HPV vaccine is a safe and highly effective vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer," said Dr. Monika Naus, BC Centre for Disease Control medical director of immunization programs. "We recommended this one-time program so that we could protect more young women from cancer and provide coverage for those who missed the school program."
Cost of the program is $3.5 million, not including the cost of immunizations delivered by physicians and pharmacists through the Medical Services Plan and Pharmacare. Women older than age 21 will have to have to cover the cost of the vaccine.
The vaccine does not protect against all kinds of cancer-causing strains of the virus and women are encouraged to undergo pap smears for more conclusive testing.
