There is strong and consistent evidence that HPV vaccines are effective in preventing cervical cancer and precancerous changes, especially when given to young people before they are exposed to the virus, two new reviews have found.
The research was carried out in response to rising online misinformation about side effects of the vaccine, and global decline in vaccine and screening uptake.
The two reviews showed that girls vaccinated before the age of 16 were found to be 80 per cent less likely to develop cervical cancer. The reviews also confirm that HPV vaccines are likely to cause only minor, transient side effects such as a sore arm.
The reviews were carried out by Cochrane – the global, independent, non-profit network of health researchers and professionals – and was supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
RM Block
Nicholas Henschke, co-lead author, said this research provides “clear and consistent evidence from around the world that HPV vaccination prevents cervical cancer”.
“An important finding was that the commonly reported side effects of the vaccine, often discussed on social media, were found to hold no evidence of a real link to vaccination.”
In Ireland, the latest figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre show that uptake of the first dose of the HPV vaccine was 77 per cent among first-year girls in second level in the 2023/2024 academic year, down 3.42 per cent on the previous year.
The uptake in this cohort has dropped from 84 per cent in 2019/2020 year, but is still much higher than the 2016/2017 year when only 58 per cent took up the jab due to widespread misinformation causing fears about the safety of the vaccine.
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Ireland is on track to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040, according to a progress report published earlier this month by the Health Service Executive.
However, misinformation about the HPV vaccine has led to a lower uptake among teenagers in disadvantaged areas, the report warned.
