The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine reduces cervical cancer by nearly 90%, according to studies in several countries where vaccination began more than 20 years ago. Studies show that early sexual life increases the risk of this type of cancer.

From December 2023, the HPV vaccine is available in Romania with 100% reimbursement also for boys aged 11 to 18 years, while women up to 45 years receive 50% reimbursement.

Pity of early sexual life

Numerous studies have linked an early age at first sexual contact with an increased risk of HPV infection, as well as sexually transmitted diseases, which cause almost all cases of invasive cervical cancer in women.

It has also been shown that the increased risk of HPV infection is due to the biological predisposition of an immature cervix during adolescence, which may be more susceptible to persistent HPV infections and therefore have a higher risk of developing cancer.

The HPV vaccine is also available in Romania for boys

From December 2023, in Romania, the HPV vaccine is also available at 100% reimbursement for boys aged 11 to 18 years.

Also, since December last year, women under 45 have been receiving the HPV vaccine with 50% compensation. Until December, only girls from 11 to 15 years of age received two doses of the vaccine, and from 15 to 18 years – three doses. As a parent of a minor child, all you need to do to get the vaccine is talk to your family doctor.

Depending on the age, the vaccine is administered in two or three doses. Yes, girls aged 11 to 15 need two doses, and girls aged 15 to 18 need three doses. In Romania, free HPV vaccination was launched in 2008, but the campaign was a complete failure. In 2020, the Ministry of Health resumed HPV vaccination.

Data from the Romanian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology show that slightly more than 150,000 girls have been vaccinated since 2020. The first HPV vaccines were approved and used in vaccination campaigns worldwide in the 2000s. Starting in 2007 and 2008, several countries introduced HPV vaccination programs, mainly targeting adolescents.

The main effect is in girls vaccinated at the age of 12-13

Vaccination against HPV was introduced in Great Britain in 2008. Data from a 2021 study published in The Lancet confirmed that vaccination reduced the rate of cervical cancer by 87%, especially among women vaccinated at age 12-13. The researchers also found a 62% reduction in cervical cancer in those who received the vaccine between ages 14 and 16, and a 34% reduction in those who received the vaccine between ages 16 and 18.

Great Britain is not the only example of the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine. Scotland, for example, introduced HPV vaccination in schools in 2008, and nearly 90% of fourth-year secondary school students (equivalent to grades X or XI in Romania) received at least one dose of the vaccine in the 2022-2023 academic year. To investigate the effectiveness, Scottish researchers looked at data collected on all women in Scotland born between 1998 and 2016 who were eligible for the national cervical cancer screening programme, including women who were not eligible for HPV vaccination, those who were vaccinated as part of the regular program since 2008 and vaccinated at the age of 14-18 as part of the catch-up program.

The study, published in January 2024 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute Scotland, shows zero cases of cervical cancer among women who received their first dose of the vaccine at age 12-13 by the end of the study period in 2020, regardless of whether how many doses they received. The study shows that there was also a significant reduction in cervical cancer among women who received three doses of the bivalent vaccine, which protects against the two main forms of cancer caused by the virus, between the ages of 14 and 22.

In addition, a study from Denmark shows similar results.

The HPV virus is very common among both women and men

Human papillomavirus (HPV) can affect both women and men.

Although HPV is known for its role in the development of cervical cancer in women, it can also cause various diseases in men.

Here are some diseases associated with HPV in men:

• 1. Genital warts: HPV can cause genital warts in men. This is a visible symptom of HPV infection, which can cause physical and psychological discomfort.
• 2. Cancer: Although the incidence is lower than in women, HPV infection can contribute to some cancers in men, including anal and penile cancer.
• 3. Larynx and oral cavity: some types of HPV can also infect the mouth and throat, possibly contributing to throat or larynx cancer.

It is important to note that most HPV infections are asymptomatic and resolve on their own. However, persistent infections with certain types of HPV can increase the risk of developing the health problems listed above. Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide, killing more than 300,000 people each year.

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