Vaccines are often shrugged by anti-vacs groups as they claim that it does more harm than good. Contrary to what everyone thinks, however, it was revealed that cervical cancer vaccines made a remarkable breakthrough as it paved way for cervical cancer prevention.
More than ten years after the cervical cancer vaccine was released, healthcare professionals made a follow-up report in regards to its effects. The first cancer vaccine which was first released in Australia managed to pave way for cancer prevention.
BBC reports that the world first cervical vaccine made a positive impact on health care after a decade. After it was released to 130 countries, the HPV (human papilloma virus) effectively decreased the number of new cervical cancer patients. Aside from cervical cancer, it also prevents throat and mouth cancers for both men and women.
The cervical cancer vaccine can potentially fight against the illness caused by HPV in a span of 40 years. Professor Ian Frazer stated that the vaccine's effect is not solely intended for cervical cancer as it also fights oropharyngeal cancer.
"It helps not only control cervical cancer but also oropharyngeal cancer - the cancers inside the mouth that are caused by these viruses," Prof Frazer, chief executive of the Translational Research Institute, stated. "If we vaccinate enough people we will eliminate these viruses because they only infect humans. And in Australia, there's already been a 90% reduction in infections in the 10 years the program has been running."
The HPV virus is very common, which means that it can easily be transmitted through sexual intercourse as it lives not only on skin surfaces but also in the mouth, anus, and genital areas. Mayo Clinic noted that the vaccine can be given to children as young as 11 or 12. It was then added that the vaccine is more responsive if it is given at a younger age.
