Why should we be vaccinating children against HPV?

Four out of five people will get HPV at some time in their lives and yet most of them do not even know they are infected!

We know that most (not all) HPV infections go away on their own, with no health complications that persist. However, we don’t know which of those infections will turn into cancer. Therefore, the best way to prevent HPV infection and the potential cancers it can cause is to get vaccinated. With the vaccine, we can reduce the risk of six different types of cancer:

• Cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer in women
• Penile cancer in men
• Throat cancers in men and women
• Anus cancer in men and women
• Genital warts in men and women
• At what age should we get vaccinated?

It is recommended to administer the HPV vaccine before children are exposed to the virus, that is, before having sex. The vaccination age is usually at 11 or 12 years of age, but you can start getting vaccinated as soon as at 9 years old. It is ideal that the vaccination schedule be completed by reaching 13 years of age since at that young age the body develops more protection against HPV than in the last years of adolescence and the first years after having completed 20 years of age.

What is the HPV vaccination schedule?

If the first dose is given before the age of 15: only two separate injections / doses of 6 to 12 months will be needed

In contrast, children who receive the first injection of the vaccine series at age 15 or older, and those with weakened immune systems will need three injections of the HPV vaccine. The three injections will be administered according to the following schedule: the 2nd dose 2 months after the first and the 3rd dose between 6 and 12 months after the 1st dose.

What side effects may appear?

The most common side effects of the vaccine are mild, and are the same as those that may occur after the administration of other vaccines: fever, headache, as well as pain and redness in the arm where the injection was given.

Children and adolescents who are allergic to yeast or who are allergic to any other component of the vaccine that causes anaphylaxis should not receive the HPV vaccine.

Will my insurance cover the costs of vaccination?

Most medical insurance covers the cost of the HPV vaccine series but depends on each company, so it is best to contact your insurer directly.

Without financing, the public sale price of each dose of Gardasil 9 is 175 euros