Doctors are urging parents to vaccinate daughters as young as nince against human papillomavirus. This virus is sexually transmitted and can cause genital warts and cervical cancer.
The vaccine is costly, but some parents say that is not a problem. A bigger problem are ethical issues.
"I think the issue is: When is the best time -- the most effective time -- to give the vaccine and do you want to give your daughter that protection?" said Dr. Renee Jenkins of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Three in four Canadians will have at least one HPV infection in their lifetime. HPV is also linked to vaginal, anal and vulvar cancers.
"Most women with HPV clear the infection on their own, but in some it causes cell changes that over time lead to cervical cancer," Dr. Dianne Miller, head of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre said in a written statement. "In order to protect against this possibility, parents should be supported in their decision to immunize their daughters against HPV."
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization said that Canadian girls in between ages 9-11 who have not yet been sexually active should be immunized with Gardasil, a vaccine that protects against four strains of HPV.
The commitee also said that females in between 14-26 would also benefit from the vaccine even if they are sexually active.
"Because of NACI's position, vaccination against diseases caused by vaccine specific HPV types will now become the standard of care for cervical cancer prevention," said Dr. Joan Murphy, chair of the GOC Task Force on Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control. "Cervical cancer and its precursors remain a significant health problem for Canadian women and we call upon the provincial governments to rapidly implement vaccination as a cancer prevention strategy against HPV types known to cause the majority of cervical cancers," she added.
Gardasil is not recommended for girls below age 9, males and pregnant women.
Until vaccination programs come into force, Canadians can obtain the vaccine through their physicians, but will have to pay for it themselves. When it first came out, the vaccine was expected to cost $135 per dose, with three doses over six months needed to confer full immunity.
"We do a lot of things to protect our kids, educate our kids, feed our kids, and this is just one of those things we can do to protect them," said Dr. Robert Lotocki, a gynecologic oncologist at Cancer Care Manitoba.
However, many parents say that paying for this vaccine is not a problem. The sex talk is, however.
"I don't see kids knowing that much about it in the first place, so you know, you're exposing them to something a little too early," one said.
Others say that the vaccination is about protection, and not pride.
"It is our hope that provincial health authorities will adopt a population-based vaccination strategy, combined with organized screening programs and a vaccine registry, which will have the greatest positive impact on cervical cancer prevention for all Canadian women," said Dr. Diane Provencher, chief of Gynecologic Oncology at Notre-Dame Hospital in Montreal and past President of GOC.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in Canadian women aged 20 - 44 after breast cancer.
An estimated 1,400 women are newly diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and more than 400 women die from it.
I think it is a good idea to give this vaccination because at least the parents would know that their daughters are protected against HPV. If they're age nine, why not just tell them that they need this vaccination without going in too much detail? Later on, when the parents think it is right, they should tell their daughters what the vaccine was for. You might say 9 is way too young, but you never know what your child might be doing behind you back. Better safe than sorry.
