About HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer etc. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced that the "9-valent HPV vaccine", which is said to be more effective in preventing infection than previous vaccines, will be introduced as a regular vaccination from April next year. decided to make a policy.
After the HPV vaccine became a routine vaccination in 2013, many people complained of body pain, and active calls for vaccination were discontinued, but the call has been resumed since April.
Currently, for teenage girls from the 6th grade of elementary school to the 1st grade of high school, for those who wish to receive it as a routine vaccination, there is a "bivalent" vaccine that can prevent the infection of two types of viruses that are likely to cause cervical cancer. Inoculation of "quadrivalent" vaccine which can prevent four kinds including them is performed.
On the 4th, a subcommittee made up of experts from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare approved a policy of routine vaccination with the "9-valent HPV vaccine," which is said to have a higher infection prevention effect.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, this vaccine can prevent nine types of virus infection and is expected to reduce the rate of cervical cancer.
In addition, regarding the frequency of reports of adverse reactions, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said that compared to the quadrivalent vaccine, symptoms such as pain at the site of injection were more frequent, but systemic symptoms such as headache were the same.
The subcommittee said that there is no problem with regular vaccination from the viewpoint of efficacy and safety, and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has decided to make it a regular vaccination from early April next year.
In the same way as when the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare resumed active calls for vaccination with bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines, the 9-valent vaccine is also available at medical institutions and consultations in case you feel any changes in your physical condition. We will ask the local government to secure the system.
9-valent vaccine can prevent about 90% of cervical cancer
Professor Tomohiro Morio of Tokyo Medical and Dental University, who serves as chairman of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's expert subcommittee that evaluates the safety of vaccines, said, ``Even HPV vaccines so far have reduced cervical cancer from about 60% to about 70%. It can be prevented, but the 9-valent vaccine can prevent about 90%, so it is very important to become a regular vaccination."
In addition, ``Since the 9-valent vaccine is said to have a higher frequency of local side effects after vaccination than previous vaccines, we will follow up on safety in the same way as with previous vaccines, and provide medical care and consultation when necessary. It is necessary to continue to develop a system that can receive it."