Ask a Doc

It is not recommended you get both vaccinations.

As you’ve noted, the recommended schedule for the HPV or cervical cancer vaccines is at month 1 for the first dose, dose 2 about 2 months later and then dose 3 at 6 months after the first dose.  If there is some variation in this schedule, your daughter is still likely to get the full or nearly full protection afforded by the vaccine.  You are to be congratulated for making sure that she gets all 3 doses. Getting all 3 doses provides greater protection than merely getting one or two doses.  A small variation in the schedule happens frequently to all of us busy people.

You should try to do your best to get the shot on time.  However, if you do not get it on time, there does not appear to be a reduced response (non-inferiority) in those who get the 2^nd and 3^rd doses delayed.

No- but it probably hurtJ

Studies show that the vaccine is extremely safe. There is no live virus in the vaccine. The most common side effects that occur right after receiving the injection are redness and soreness where the shot was given. Headaches (like when you have a cold or fever) can also happen. Rarely, fever can also occur. Over-the-counter pain and fever medications will help if you have symptoms. As with any new vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA will continue to monitor HPV vaccination for long term effects.  One of the questions that they will be looking to answer is the same one you’ve asked, that is, how long will this vaccination last and will a booster be needed in future years.  After seven years of research, the efficacy of the vaccine appears to be lasting.                                                                                                                                                         

From what we know from studies conducted on the cervical cancer vaccine so far, it appears to be safe to get the cervical cancer vaccine along with other vaccines (co-administration).  Long term studies will continue.

Studies show that the vaccine is extremely safe. There is no live virus in the vaccine. The most common side effects are redness and soreness where the shot was given. Headaches (like when you have a cold or fever) can also happen. Rarely, fever can also occur. Over-the-counter pain and fever medications will help if you have symptoms. As with any new medication, safety issues will continue to be monitored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA.  While there are rare reports of girls or young women having complications after getting the vaccine, to date, this has not affected recommendations or approval for use of the vaccine.

You ask whether the HPV vaccine can be given to someone who has already been diagnosed with HPV. The answer is yes, maybe.  The only vaccine currently available is Gardasil. It protects against 4 different strains of HPV; two that cause cervical cancer and two that cause genital warts. So if someone has had one of the HPV strains, but not the others, the vaccine may still offer protection against the ones that that person hasn't already had. The vaccine does not cure existing HPV infections, it is not designed or meant to be a ‘therapeutic’ vaccine.  Such vaccines are currently in clinical trials.  It is also important to remember that there are age restrictions currently for the vaccine. It has been approved for women ages 9-26. So if you are older than that your insurance generally will not pay for the vaccine. There is a three dose series costing approximately $360 for the drug plus an administration fee for each dose. Most insurance plans are currently covering it.  Your best bet is to discuss your situation with your healthcare provider before you decide to get the vaccine. 

Gardasil, the only vaccine currently in the US market, was approved in June 2006 in the US by the Food and Drug Administration for girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26 and has been recommended by many organizations for routine use in 11 and 12 year old girls.  The vaccine is not approved for women over age 26 in the US.  As more data is generated on clinical trials, this may change. 

Yes, it is true that women who have been exposed to HPV may still get some benefit from the cervical cancer vaccine.  The maximum benefit is achieved when the vaccine is administered prior to any HPV exposure.  The vaccine is approved for women between the ages of 9 and 26.

Your 15 year-old daughter may be eligible for the vaccine under the federally funded Vaccines for Children Program depending on your family income. Most local health departments utilize this program to pay for children's vaccines. I would suggest that you contact your local health department and ask them if they offer the vaccine on a sliding fee scale.  I applaud you on taking the preventive step of getting your daughter vaccinated.

You asked about the cervical cancer vaccine. The vaccine is recommended for young girls to prevent HPV infection. It works best when given before a girl or woman has had any exposure to the HPV virus, which is transmitted through sexual contact. The vaccine has no effect on menses or her menstrual periods. It should neither hasten nor delay menses. What is does is to establish protection so that any HPV your daughter may be exposed to at some point in her future will not have an opportunity to invade the cells of her cervix and start to cause the cervical changes that can lead to cancer. It has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. It is recommended in many countries and by many physician organizations and by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).