#Swedish #Cancer #Fund #warns #HPV #vaccine
Misconceptions may mean that too few women take the HPV vaccine, which can eradicate cervical cancer. This is the opinion of the Cancer Foundation, which is now bringing forward its concern about too low a turnout in the vaccination campaign to eradicate cervical cancer.
The HPV vaccine can eradicate cancer
As Läkemedelsvärlden previously reported, Sweden’s regions are investing heavily in mass vaccinating women born in 1994-1999 against the cancer-causing human papillomavirus, HPV. The virus is transmitted through sexual contact and is the main cause of cervical cancer.
The goal of the venturewhere the women in the target group are offered the vaccine for free, is to eradicate this form of cancer.
— Sweden is basically one breath away from being the first in the world to eradicate cervical cancer. It is a historic investment where the disease can be eradicated within just three years. Just the thought is dizzying, says Ulrika Årehed Kågström, secretary general at the Cancer Foundation, in a press release.
Differs a lot between regions
In order to succeed in reaching the goal of extinguishing the spread of HPV, at least 70 percent of women need to have received the HPV vaccine before the end of 2024. However, several regions report that interest in getting vaccinated is low.
Currently is only 30 percent of the women in the target group have done so. It also differs greatly between regions. In Region Kronoberg, which is currently the best, 44 percent of women born in 1994-1999 have been vaccinated.
In Skåne and Dalarna, only 13 percent are vaccinated.
– Time is short. Now more women in the target group need to get to the nearest vaccination clinic, for their own sake and for the sake of all women, says Ulrika Årehed Kågström.
I think they are vaccinated
The Cancer Foundation believes that the low participation may be due both to poor accessibility to vaccination sites and to the women’s own beliefs and knowledge.
Recently, the Cancer Foundation gave therefore, the research company Xtreme insight was commissioned to study knowledge and attitudes about the HPV vaccine in the target group. The survey was conducted in a nationally representative sample of women born in 1994-1999.
A striking result is that three quarters of the women in the target group mistakenly believe that they already have adequate vaccine protection against HPV.
According to the Cancer Foundation, There are two explanations for these misconceptions. Some women may simply misremember and think they have been vaccinated against HPV when this is not the case.
There may be different explanations
Another possible explanation is that many in the target group were offered the HPV vaccine Gardasil 4 a number of years ago. It is an older version of the vaccine, which does not protect against as many virus variants as the current vaccine, Gardasil 9.
Menu in the women may not know that difference and think that the injection they received before is enough.
– Even those who have taken the older variant of the vaccine must update their protection in order for us to succeed in stopping the spread of the virus completely. It would be devastating if Sweden missed a historic chance like this because of a misunderstanding where women mistakenly believe they are fully protected, says Ulrika Årehed Kågström.
