Parents of girls across the country are in the midst of making a decision: whether or not to vaccinate their daughters against HPV.
The vaccine program, rolled out at lightening speed after Ottawa announced a $300-million funding packages for participating provinces, is considered controversial by many.
Over the next few weeks, girls in specific grades will be offered the drug for free - with parental consent - in Ontario, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and Newfoundland. The rest of the provinces have either delayed their programs until next year, or announced no decision.
If it lives up to its potential, the vaccine will significantly reduce the incidence of a cancer that kills more than one Canadian woman every day, and often leaves those who survive it unable to have babies; according to trials, it provides nearly full immunity to four types of the human papillomavirus, which causes 70 per cent of all cervical cancer, and 90 per cent of genital warts.
Dr. Deborah Money
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But, at the same time, mothers and fathers are grappling with a fear of side effects, questioning the motives of a drug company that stands to make big profits and politicians who may be pandering for votes, as well as their own moral qualms about dosing girls as young as 10 years old with protection for an STD.
Dr. Deborah Money, associate professor at the University of British Columbia and executive director of the Women's Health Research Institute, has answered reader questions to help you understand the virus and the vaccine.
Your questions and Dr. Money's answers appear at the bottom of this page.
Dr. Money is an associate professor at the University of British Columbia and is the head of the division of maternal fetal medicine at the Children's and Women's Health Centre of British Columbia. Most recently, Dr. Money has been appointed executive director of the Women's Health Research Institute.
She is an obstetrician/gynaecologist who obtained fellowship training in infectious diseases at the University of Washington. She returned to UBC in 1994 and developed a clinical and research program in Ob/Gyn Infectious Diseases with research focussed on viral pathogens in women and in pregnancy, specifically HIV, HPV, Hepatitis C and genital herpes. She was the Associate Director for STD/AIDS Control for BC Centre for Disease Control from 2001 to 2002.
She is currently the chair of the Infectious Diseases committee for the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist of Canada (SOGC), and the SOGC liaison member on the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). In addition, Dr. Money is on the executive committee of the U.S. Infectious Diseases Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (IDSOG).
Editor's Note: globeandmail.com editors will read and allow or reject each question. Questions may be edited for length, clarity or relevance. HTML is not allowed. We will not publish questions that include personal attacks on participants in these discussions, that make false or unsubstantiated allegations, that purport to quote people or reports where the purported quote or fact cannot be easily verified, or questions that include vulgar language or libellous statements. Preference will be given to readers who submit questions/comments using their full name and home town, rather than a pseudonym.
Melisa Tammi-Cheah, Toronto: I'm a 43 year old mother of two who recently celebrated her 19th wedding anniversary. On my annual medical visit this year with a new GP, he recommended that I get the HPV vaccination. When I questioned the need for this in my age category he replied, "it couldn't hurt." I will not hesitate to vaccinate my daughter when she turns 10, but is there really any indication that the vaccine is effective or necessary for my age group? Are there other GPs recommending it to all of their female patients?
Dr. Money: A commonly asked question: There are no published studies showing the benefit of this vaccine in women over 26 years old. There are ongoing studies that will be available shortly. This vaccine is most designed to benefit girls and women before sexual exposure to this vaccine. For women in stable, ongoing monogamous relationships, there is no proven benefit yet. I presume that given the very good safety profile and the theoretical benefit if one is to be exposed in the future, I suspect some health care providers are recommending this for women in your situation. I personally would say that the best benefit is for your daughter.
Rasha Mourtada, Globe Life web editor:The following two questions are somewhat related, so Dr. Money has chosen to answer them together.
Wendy Schmidt, Vancouver: Before I submit my daughters for this vaccine, I need information on the transmission of the virus. Does a man carry this virus for life if he is infected? Is it possible for men to be vaccinated?
LG, Calgary adds: Why are boys not being vaccinated when they can contract genital warts from HPV exposure?
