SafetyIssues Personal and Public Safety News Articles: More Teen Girls Get Cancer Vaccine

More Teen Girls Get Cancer Vaccine
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Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 10/11/08 02:49:00
 
HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer. The vaccine
goes after four strains of HPV, two of which are the main culprits in 70 percent
of cervical cancers. The vaccine is approved for use in all females ages 9 to
26, and is administered in three doses.
To provide maximum protection for teens, health experts recommend administration
of the vaccine before teenage girls become sexually active — that is, when
they are ages 11 to 12.
The CDC gathered the data in a telephone survey where parents of 3,000 teen
girls answered questions about the vaccination histories of their children and
authorized the CDC to further verify the information with the respective
doctors. Only teens between ages 13 and 17 were included in the survey.
The CDC views the 25 percent usage rate of the vaccine as encouraging. It
normally takes about seven years to achieve a 90 percent reach — the target
coverage for most vaccination programs, including the HPV vaccine — so the 25
percent coverage in one year is a very positive development.
The higher 90 percent target coverage aims to reduce deaths due to cervical
cancer. Roughly 4,000 females in the U.S. die each year due to this disease.
Despite the usefulness of the vaccine, doctors believe many parents remain
cautious about the risks and safety of recently developed vaccines. There are
unanswered questions whether vaccination results in lifetime immunity or if it
will require booster shots.
There may be one other cause for concern: the vaccine is expensive, at about
$375. But parents should know that 90 percent of health insurers cover the cost.
But for those without health insurance or whose insurer does not cover it, the
CDC says the Vaccines for Children Program will shoulder the cost of
vaccinations of teens up to their 19th birthday.
The CDC also reported increased coverage of teens in two other vaccination
programs: the vaccine against meningitis and against tetanus, diphtheria, and
pertussis, which causes whooping cough (Tdap).
The meningococcal vaccination coverage rate among teens rose to 32.4 percent in
2007 from 11.7 percent in 2006 while the Tdap vaccination coverage increased to
30.4 percent from only 10.8 percent in 2006.
Meningitis can be fatal. Whooping cough is not fatal among teenagers, but
infected teens can spread it to infants and older people who are more
vulnerable.
Safety Tips:
* Encourage teen girls starting age 9 (and adult women up to 26 years old) to
get the HPV vaccine shots.
* Have preteens and teens undergo routine medical checkups. Be familiar with
their vaccination histories.