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| Every year more than 500,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed around the world and more than 250,000 women die from this disease. Cervical cancer is caused as a result of infection by a sexually transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV). |
There are 35 different species of HPV that can infect the genital tract. Out of these, half of them have the capability to cause cervical cancer and the rest result in benign warts. Approximately, 55 percent of cervical cancers are caused as a result of infection with HPV type 16. Due to this reason, several companies are looking towards developing HPV-type-specific vaccines. Two such HPV vaccines that have been approved by the USFDA as a part of its immunization schedule are Gardasil and Cervarix.
As per the recommendations by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV vaccination is compulsory for girls/women between the ages of 11-26. Ideally, the vaccine should be administered before potential exposure to HPV through sexual activity. Immunization is less beneficial in women who have already been infected with one or more of the four HPV vaccine types.
In the UK, the vaccine is licensed for administration for girls and boys aged 9 to 15 and women aged 16-26. Other countries that have provided approval for a HPV vaccination include Australia, Germany, Italy, France and South Korea. Three injections of the vaccine are given over a period of six months. The first dose is given on the day of enrollment. The second dose is administered two months after the first dose. The final dose is given four months after the second dose.
In the US, the cost of one HPV immunization is $360. Hence, HPV immunization is not provided coverage by any of the health insurance companies. The cost is slightly less in the European countries. Here, a shot of HPV vaccine is around $200. In most instances, governments provide these vaccines free of charge to people.
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