Cancer prevention – the HPV vaccine

For the second year NHS South Gloucestershire is offering the HPV vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer, to all young women born between 1st September 1991 and 31st August 1997:

What is the HPV vaccine?
Cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomovirus, or HPV. It is the second most common cancer of women worldwide and with over 3,000 women affected each year in the UK.

The HPV vaccine protects against 70 per cent of all cervical cancer cases and it has already been used successfully in over 90 countries around the world, including America, Australia and Germany.

A course of three doses of vaccine is necessary for protection and these will be given over a six month period.

How can I get the vaccine?
In South Gloucestershire, the vaccine will be offered to girls of compulsory school age through schools and a letter will be sent to you via the school. 

If you are in year 12 or 13 or have left school and are still under 19, ring your GP for information about how to get the vaccine.

A website for young women and parents has lots of information the vaccine, at: http://www.nhs.uk/hpv or you can call Call the HPV helpline on 0845 602 3303

Or you can download these leaflets:

Your guide to the HPV vaccine
HPV Questions and answers factsheet

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