Rallying call for teens to take up cancer jabs
TEENAGE girls are being urged to take up the jab against cervical cancer as new figures show around 78 Welsh women die of the disease every year.
Steps have already been taken in Wales to protect youngsters aged between 12 and 13 with a vaccine against the HPV human papillomavirus.
The jab can protect against two strains of the virus — which causes more than 70 per cent of cervical cancer cases — and is designed to save lives. Now health chiefs are looking to extend the protection to all girls between 12 and 18.
Most girls have already had their first two doses out of the three at school.
And those aged between 14 and 18 who were not offered the vaccine last year are eligible to participate in the catch-up programme.
Jane Wilkinson, the deputy chief medical officer for Wales, said: "The HPV vaccination is a very significant public health development in Wales.
"Take-up has been really high, but to get maximum protection girls must have the full course of three injections, given over a six-month period.
"The vaccine protects against two strains of the virus (16 and 18), which cause over 70 per cent of cervical cancer cases.
"It is free and all girls and young women are encouraged to take the opportunity to have the only vaccine available to prevent a cancer."
She added: "I'm hopeful that this year's roll-out will be even more successful than the inaugural routine programme last year."
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It is recommended that girls take up the vaccine whether they are sexually active or not.
Most women are exposed to HPV infection at some point in their lives, but they do not end up with cervical cancer. Much of the time they are unaware they have been infected with the virus because they have no symptoms.
A total of £9 million has been ploughed in by the Assembly to accelerate the planned two-year catch-up campaign to ensure that an extra 40,000 girls and young women are protected against cervical cancer.
The vaccine does not protect against all HPV infections. Health experts say it is vital everyone attends cervical cancer screening later in life.
An advertising campaign has been launched to encourage girls to take up the vaccine, which has seen information placed on washroom panels, along with television and radio adverts being screened.
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by Kirsty-Louise, Llanelli
Thursday, April 29 2010, 5:37PM
“I am 13 years old and have just had the last of the 3 jabs. Unfortunately i have some symtoms of Sporadic Hemiplegic Migraine (SHM). random migrane attacks , nausea, vomiting,Ataxia (defective muscle coordination), This jab sounds safe for most people but as schools dont properly check up on medical history its might not be completely safe. On my first jab i had a panic attack and it triggered my SHM, on the second i felt sick and faint thoughout the day and on the 3rd (i had today) i had a migrane. So my jab didnt go well but it doesnt mean you should stop giving people the chance to have it if parents think its wrong then they dont sign for their kid.”
by Medusa, Swansea
Monday, November 16 2009, 7:00PM
“I don't object to this vaccine at all Paul - that is not what I said is it?
Have the vaccine but teach your girls to respect themselves as well.
Does that not make any sense to you Paul? Does that confuse you? At the end of the day this is a double-edged sword, hardly simplistic.”
by Paul, West Cross
Monday, November 16 2009, 3:26PM
“Medusa/Heather.
Do you object to the use of the HPV vaccine? If "yes", please explain why you object.
If the Welsh Assembly banned the HPV vaccine and women in Wales died of cervical cancer as a result, would you be happy to explain, in person, to the next-of-kin why your policy of "keeping their legs SHUT" is far better than anything that medical science can provide?”
by Medusa, Swansea
Monday, November 16 2009, 12:39PM
“I am RIGHT in what I say. If (some) women find that offensive then I would question why?”
by Paul, West Cross
Sunday, November 15 2009, 4:37PM
“Medusa posting under her previous name of Heather: -
thisissouthwales.co.uk/news/Sexual-disease-vaccine-scheme-girls-stepped/article-775354-detail/article.html
"Maybe learning to respect themselves and closing their legs would be the safest option don't you think?" Heather, the Mumbles commented on 17-Mar-2009 16:06”
by Jane, Swansea
Sunday, November 15 2009, 2:21PM
“Medusa you obviously have far more medical qualifications than I - 'The best way to prevent Cervical Cancer might be to keep your legs SHUT;' How could I possibly know more than you? You are offensive and bigoted.”
by Medusa, Swansea
Sunday, November 15 2009, 11:32AM
“Jane, Swansea NO I DID NOT say that, but sleeping around does not help does it? Or do you think otherwise?”
by Paul, West Cross
Saturday, November 14 2009, 5:11PM
“tracey, swansea.
I presume that you are referring to the following sad case: -
"Natalie Morton died from a large and previously undetected tumour in her chest that could have killed her at any moment and not from a cervical cancer jab, an inquest was told yesterday." - From "The Times" October 2, 2009.
The proof that you demand is impossible to obtain as no vaccine is 100% effective.
What you seem to want is a group of young women to have the vaccine and then have unprotected sex with men who carry the virus. If the women remain free of cervical cancer for 50 years, you may believe that the jab works. On the other hand, you may not believe it.”
by tracey, swansea
Saturday, November 14 2009, 12:42PM
“i didnt like the idea of letting my daughter have this vaccine but i let her have the first jab.. after that she wasnt well, I did think it is not natural to have this without positive proof that it does work. I felt she was a tester. after that young girl died it made me think even more. The school dosnt ask for medical records or history of the girls. after talking it over with my daughter I decided that this is not the best action to take, this is our choice.. and I read more up on this and prevention is better than this vaccine.. If you can talk to your child and they understand the consequences of their actions by sleeping with every tom dick and harry they have got know worries later on in life.. until someone can tell me that they have given this vaccine and they havent managed to have cirvical cancer then I will believe it..”
by Swan anon, anon
Friday, November 13 2009, 5:49PM
“I hope that people take the chance to get the jab, it would be sad if a woman were to develop cancer having not had the jab.
I would ignore ill informed comments that it only affects those who sleep around. Medusa is one of the regular posters who tries to offend people on here with her comments, ignore her and dont rise to her comments.”