B.C. Led Research Team Remodels HPV Vaccination

| October 30, 2014 in Provincial

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A new HPV vaccination is on the forefront thanks to groundbreaking work by a B.C. led research team. The research has concluded that it will now be possible to provide girls under the age of 15 with only two doses of vaccine, rather than three.

Since the vaccine came on the market, B.C. has been administering three doses—two in grade six and one in grade nine—although, research studies conducted by the B.C.'s Vaccine Evaluation Centre has proven that the vaccine is effective and provides immunity with just two doses given six months apart.

Along with the introduction of the HPV vaccination, the grade nine booster shot has been dropped.

The ministry and health authorities plan to reinvest any savings from this change in the vaccination process into increasing HPV vaccination rates among girls, which currently stands at 69 per cent in B.C.

“This is another example of how health-care research in B.C. is improving the quality of life for all British Columbians,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “This work done by the Vaccine Evaluation Centre aligns with our strategic priority of increasing timely access to evidence-informed care.”

The HPV vaccine protects against the human papillomavirus, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. HPV types 16 and 18 cause about 70 per cent of cervical cancers and 80 per cent of anal cancers, as well as other cancers. HPV types 6 and 11 cause about 90 per cent of cases of genital warts.

The research compared the mean antibody levels of girls aged nine to 13 years who had received three doses of the HPV vaccine to the same number of girls in the same age group who received two doses. Research found the girls' mean average antibody levels were fairly equal. This research was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in May 2013.

In light of this research, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization issued an update to its HPV vaccine recommendations, supporting a two-dose series of vaccine for girls under 15 years old throughout Canada.

This recommendation matches previous recommendations from the World Health Organization and expert advisory committees from several other countries, which have moved to a two-dose HPV vaccine schedule.

The research was funded by a $1.6 million contribution made by the Ministry of Health through the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research.  

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