With the improvement of national health awareness, the vaccine that can effectively prevent human papillomavirus, that is, cervical cancer caused by HPV infection, has attracted much attention among women of the right age. Since the launch of the nine-valent vaccine, it has always been in short supply. However, experts suggest that hpvide vaccination should be minimized as soon as possible, and blindly waiting for the nine-valent vaccine is a misunderstanding.
HpV vaccination rate of school-age girls in China is less than 1%
According to statistics, more than 80% of women have at least one HPV infection in their lifetime, and it is now clear that more than 99% of cervical cancer is related to persistent HPV infection. The HPV virus is transmitted mainly through direct contact and sexual activity. In addition, early marriage, early childbearing, multiple sexual partners, smoking, etc. are all risk factors that trigger cervical cancer.
The birth of the HPV vaccine makes cervical cancer hope to become the first malignancy that can be completely eliminated in humans. In China, cervical cancer is the second largest female malignancy, with about 110,000 new cases every year.
WHO recommends that pre-adolescence, that is, 9-14 years old, is the best age for HPV vaccination, and the National Health Commission recommends that the primary vaccination target group is girls aged 13-15 according to China's national conditions. However, the HPV vaccination rate of school-age girls in China is less than 1%.
Zhao Fanghui, director of the Epidemiology Department of the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences: The incidence of cervical cancer is younger, and the average age of onset of cervical cancer in the past may be more than 60 years old. At present, it is 40 years old and 50 years old, and there are some cases that will be affected in their twenties.
Vaccination should be minimized as early as possible
Blindly waiting for the nine-valent vaccine is not recommended
At present, the HPV vaccine approved for marketing in China includes two bivalent vaccines, a quadrivalent vaccine and a nine-valent vaccine. The age of appropriate vaccination for bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines is 9-45 years old, and the age at which nine-valent vaccines are appropriate for vaccination is 16-26 years old. All four vaccines require three injections and are completed within 6 months.
Experts said that the high-risk type of human papillomavirus that causes cervical cancer is more clearly fourteen, the most common of which are 16 and 18, which will cause about 80% of cervical cancer. The bivalent vaccine prevents HPV16 and 18 viruses; the quadrivalent vaccine adds the prevention of HPV6 and 11 viruses on the basis of bivalent. Therefore, experts recommend that hpvide vaccination should not blindly wait for more prices, but as early as possible to achieve small vaccination and protection.
Qiao Youlin, professor of the School of Medicine and Public Health of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College: There are more than a dozen viruses that cause cervical cancer, but the main ones are type 16 and 18, and the cervical cancer caused by these two viruses accounts for about 84.5%, so the bivalent vaccine is protected. So WHO advises all countries that the sooner and the smaller the fight, the better, don't wait.
Pilot first Gradually promote HPV vaccines
A few days ago, the National Health Commission said that China will promote the pilot first, encourage qualified areas to actively adopt a variety of financing models, and gradually carry out free vaccination of human papillomavirus vaccine, that is, HPV vaccine. Since the second half of 2021, many provinces and cities across the country have gradually promoted the universal vaccination strategy, free or subsidized vaccination plan for women of appropriate age.
Guangdong Provincial Finance Plans to add about 600 million yuan for free HPV vaccination from 2022 to 2024, and from this year onwards, free vaccination will be implemented for girls under the age of 14 who have a guangdong provincial school status and have entered the first grade of junior high school since September and have not been vaccinated against HPV.
In December last year, Jiangsu Province issued the "14th Five-Year Plan" Development Plan for Women and Children, especially proposing to "encourage qualified areas to promote HPV vaccination with a focus on girls aged 9-15 years old", and the free HPV vaccination for girls in the eighth grade in Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, has now been fully launched.
△ On December 21, 2021, in Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, nurses injected domestic bivalent HPV vaccine for eighth-grade girls. (Photo/Visual China)
In November last year, Jinan, Shandong Province, launched a free HPV vaccination for school-age girls, targeting girls in the seventh grade under the age of 15.
The city of Ordos, Inner Mongolia, launched free HPV vaccination for women aged 13-18 last year.
The National Health Commission said that China will fully support the "Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer" proposed by the World Health Organization, which clearly states that by 2030, 90% of girls in the world will complete HPV vaccination before the age of 15. Through a three-tiered approach of vaccination, screening and treatment, we will promote the global goal of eliminating cervical cancer.
Editor-in-charge: Guo Yanhui
Proofreader: Du Xiaojin (intern) Wang Jiayi (intern)