There are more than 100 types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) out there, and it’s a VERY common virus that affects both females and males.

How common?

About 75% of sexually active Canadians will have at least one HPV infection during their lifetime.

And we have to remember that it’s not just intercourse that spreads HPV – any sexual contact can potentially cause an infection. Luckily, most people who are exposed to a strain of HPV clear the virus without any lasting effects. However, some people don’t, and the effects can be devastating.

As doctors, we care a lot about HPV, and here’s why: HPV causes not only genital warts, but cancer as well.

In women, HPV can cause cervical cancer, and in men, it can cause throat and anal cancer.

I have personally seen young, otherwise healthy people diagnosed with these cancers. Yikes. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women aged 20-44, and in Canada, almost 400 women die each year from it. Young women. Our daughters, sisters, mothers, friends.

Thankfully, a safe and very effective vaccine exists against the most problematic strains of HPV – the ones that cause the majority of cancers and warts. In Canada, two vaccines exist to protect us from HPV – Gardasil and Cervarix. Gardasil protects against strains that cause warts AND cancer; Cervarix protects against two strains known to cause cancer only. Health Canada has recently approved Gardasil 9, which protects again 9 strains of HPV. These 9 strains are known to cause 90% of cervical cancers, 75% of vaginal and anal cancers, and over 90% of warts. Wow – in vaccine talk, that is a very effective vaccine! This vaccine is approved for females aged 9-45 and males aged 9-26.  There are three doses and it is important to complete all three. As always, talk to your own doctor to see if these vaccines are right for you, given your personal medical history.

And an important point to remember: being vaccinated does not take place of regular Pap tests to screen for early changes of cervical cancer. These are still a very important part of your health.

As a family doctor, this vaccine excites me. A vaccine against cancer – how amazing! Gardasil underwent years of testing before hitting shelves. It is safe. My own children will absolutely be getting vaccinated ASAP. Happy 9th birthday, kids!! Research is ongoing, but it is thought that the vaccination is most effective when given before the age of 15. But it’s still effective anytime in the above stated age ranges.

A website I like to direct my patients to for more information is www.hpvinfo.ca. Educating yourself and your children is a powerful thing. Protecting your children from harm is never going to be a mistake. Telling them to wear a seatbelt does not make them want to drive recklessly. Ensuring they wear a bike helmet does not guarantee they will be signing up for BMX races. Talking to them about safer sex and vaccinating them against HPV does not mean they will want to be sexually active early or often. It means that when they do become sexually active, they will be protected from the worst strains of HPV.

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