Gardasil®

Gardasil is now available at BMC Medical Services. It represents a vitally important medical advance: it is the first vaccine able to protect against a major cause of cancer in women.

GARDASIL is a vaccine that protects against HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18. These four types of HPV cause 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts.

GARDASIL will not protect against diseases that are not caused by HPV (i.e. other cancers and other sexually transmitted diseases).

GARDASIL may not protect against HPV types to which you have already been exposed. Unfortunately there is no test available, as yet, to check which type you have/ have not got.

The vaccine will protect against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

HPV is a common Virus that is passed on via genital contact. There are more than 100 HPV types and they all infect genital areas. Sometimes they cause no harm and any infection goes away on its own. However, sometimes the virus persists and causes cells to change- this can lead to:

• Cervical Cancer
• Pre cancerous lesions
• Genital warts.

The vaccine is licensed for girls and women from 9 to 26 years of age. The vaccine is safe and effective in this age group. Ideally, females should have the vaccine before they become sexually active, i.e. before they can be exposed to HPV.

Females who are sexually active can also benefit as they might not yet have acquired all four HPV types- so they may get some protection from the vaccine.

Most people are not infected with all four HPV types.

Inclusion Criteria

• Adult Females 16-26 years of age
• Children and Adolescents (male and female) 9 to 15 years old.

• People allergic to vaccine ingredients.

• Pregnant women

• People with a weakened immune system (e.g. those with HIV)

• People with a bleeding disorder

The vaccine is usually well tolerated.

The most likely side effects include- pain, itching, swelling at the injection site, fever, nausea, dizziness.

Gardasil requires a total of 3 injections, at the following minimum intervals:

• Initial dose
• Second dose: 2 months later
• Third dose: 4 months after the second dose.