Frequently asked questions about HPV vaccination, answered by experts from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Peking Union Medical College

Recently, the news that the vaccination age for the nine-valent HPV vaccine has been expanded from 16-26 years old to 9-45 years old has added to the popularity of the already hard-to-get HPV vaccine.

Regarding these issues that everyone is most concerned about, NetEase Health, in collaboration with NetEase Cultural and Creative-Sansan Studio , conducted a live broadcast with Tan Xianjie, chief physician of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital , to answer netizens' frequently asked questions one by one!

Which HPV vaccine should you choose: one-valent, bivalent, quadrivalent, or nine-valent?

Key points: "Valence" represents the number of virus types that the vaccine can prevent. The bivalent vaccine targets two viruses, HPV16 and 18; the quadrivalent vaccine targets four viruses, HPV16, 18, 6, and 11; and the nine-valent vaccine targets nine viruses, HPV16, 18, 6, 11, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58.

For the prevention and control of cervical cancer, theoretically speaking, the bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines are equally effective, with protection rates of 70%, while the nine-valent vaccine has a protection rate of up to 90%.

2. What should women, children, and men pay attention to when getting the HPV vaccine?

Key points: For pregnant or breastfeeding women, there is currently no safety evidence for the HPV vaccine, so vaccination is not recommended; for children, there is no need to worry about vaccination too early, as current evidence has shown that its effectiveness will last for 10 years, and may even last longer in the future; for men, although they can be vaccinated, the HPV vaccine is a scarce resource in China, and the problem should be addressed first to those who need it most.

3. Experts say this about HPV vaccine

Key points: Currently, HPV vaccination is mostly carried out by community hospitals, so appointments can be made at community hospitals, medical service centers, disease control centers, and private hospitals. In terms of price, the two-valent vaccine is about 700 yuan per shot, the four-valent vaccine is about 900 yuan per shot, and the nine-valent vaccine is about 1,200 yuan per shot. The prices of different institutions may vary slightly.

It is worth noting that HPV vaccination is by no means a death-free gold medal and cannot provide 100% protection. Because the prevention and control system of cervical cancer is divided into three levels, the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer belongs to the third level of prevention and control, the screening of cervical cancer and the treatment of precancerous lesions belong to the second level of prevention and control, and HPV vaccination belongs to the first level of prevention and control.

We cannot withdraw the second line of defense just because the first line of defense seems to be good. Therefore, even if you are vaccinated, you should still follow the formal screening strategy and get screened regularly!