Young women in the Cayman Islands now have access to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine which protects against some strains of the virus which cause cervical cancer and genital warts.

Minister of Health the Hon. Mark Scotland announced today that a six month pilot project is being undertaken by the Ministry of Health and the Cayman Islands Cancer Society to provide the vaccine, at no cost, to approximately 150 young women between the ages of 11 and 17 years.

An ongoing review will be undertaken to determine the future of the HPV Vaccine programme.

The HPV vaccine will be provided every Wednesday, while supplies last, on a first come‐first‐serve basis through the Public Health Clinic at the Cayman Islands Hospital as of August 26. The clinic will run from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., by appointment only.

Appointments can be made by contacting the Public Health Clinic at 244-2648.

 Parents or guardians must attend the appointment with their children and give written consent for the vaccine being administered.

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that can lead to pre‐cancerous and cancerous lesions of the cervix, vagina and vulva, as well as genital warts. The HPV vaccine protects against 2 types of the viruses that cause cervical cancer and 2 types that cause genital warts.

Dr. Sook Yin, Medical Director of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society says, "The Cancer Society is pleased to partner with the Ministry of Health to make the HPV vaccine available to young ladies in the community. This is a milestone in the prevention of cervical cancer in the Cayman Islands."

The Hon. Minister commended the ongoing collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the Cancer Society. "Our immunization programme continues to be among our best investments. I encourage young women and their parents or guardians to take advantage of this immunization programme." said Mr. Scotland.

The HPV vaccine is given as a course of 3 injections administered at set intervals over a 6‐month period. The vaccine is of greatest benefit if it is administered before the onset of sexual activity.

A public awareness campaign about cervical cancer and the HPV vaccine will be undertaken by the Cayman Islands Cancer Society and the Public Health Department using a variety of outlets

including media interviews, advertisements, public education presentations in schools, to Home School Associations and at specially organized district awareness sessions. Leaflets will also be available at the awareness sessions and from the Cayman Islands Cancer Society on Maple Road, all Health Services Authority facilities, doctor’s offices and libraries.

SIDEBAR

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% 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. Although, it is approved for females from age 9 to 26 years, during the pilot project it will only be

offered to young girls between the ages of 11 and 17 years at the Public Health Clinic at the Cayman Islands Hospital.

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.

How is the HPV vaccine given?

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

1.st dose - selected date

2.nd dose – 2 months after first dose

3.rd 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.

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.

 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% 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.

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.