Have you ever been vaccinated against cervical cancer?
Routine vaccination against cervical cancer in Japan started in 2010.
However, due to media reports about adverse reactions to the vaccine, the vaccination rate has been stagnant for a long time.
According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, the first vaccination rate was 3.3%, the second vaccination rate was 2.6%, and the third vaccination rate was only 1.9% among those eligible in fiscal 2019.
However, active recommendation resumed in April 2020, and in April 2022, the 9-valent vaccine was introduced into the routine vaccination program. As a result, the vaccination rate has been gradually increasing.
Among those eligible in fiscal 2022, the first dose immunization rate was 15.9%, the second dose 11.6%, and the third dose 7.1%.
In this issue, we will look at the recently launched cervical cancer vaccine.
What is the cervical cancer vaccine?
Cervical cancer vaccine is a vaccine that prevents human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and reduces the risk of developing cervical cancer.
HPV and cervical cancer
HPV is classified into “low-risk type” and “high-risk type” according to the type of virus.
Low-risk HPV: causes benign lesions such as warts and condylomas.
High-risk HPVs: include types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58, which increase the risk of developing cervical cancer.
Most cervical cancers are thought to be caused by persistent infection with high-risk HPVs.
types of cervical cancer vaccines
The following three types of HPV vaccines are approved in Japan
Bivalent vaccine (Cervarix): Prevents HPV infection of types 16 and 18.
Tetravalent vaccine (Gardasil): protects against HPV types 16, 18, 31, and 6.
9-valent vaccine (Sylgard 9): protects against HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58, 6, and 11.
The 9-valent vaccine protects against more types of HPV infection than the bivalent or quadrivalent vaccines.
Eligibility for Cervical Cancer Vaccine
Routine vaccination with the cervical cancer vaccine is recommended for the following subjects
Girls between the 6th grade of elementary school and the 1st grade of high school: bivalent, quadrivalent, or 9-valent vaccine can be chosen.
Women between the ages of 16 and 26: only the 9-valent vaccineThose who are eligible may receive the vaccination at public expense.
How to receive the cervical cancer vaccine
The cervical cancer vaccine is administered by intramuscular injection.
For routine vaccination, three doses are usually required; the interval between the first and second doses is 4 months, and the interval between the second and third doses is 6 months.
Benefits of Cervical Cancer Vaccine
Cervical cancer vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer by preventing high-risk type HPV infection.
Clinical trials have shown that the bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines prevent about 70% of cervical cancer cases caused by HPV types 16 and 18, and the quadrivalent vaccine prevents about 90% of cervical cancer cases caused by types 31 and 6.
The 9-valent vaccine has been shown in clinical trials to prevent approximately 90% of cervical cancers caused by types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58.
Immunization Rates by Prefecture
Immunization rates vary by prefecture.
The ranking of the first dose immunization coverage in FY2022 by prefecture is as follows
No. 1: Fukui Prefecture (31.5%)
2nd: Ishikawa Prefecture (29.2%)
Toyama Prefecture (28.7%)
Nagano (27.8%) No. 4
Fifth: Niigata (27.5%)
On the other hand, the prefectures with low vaccination rates are as follows
42nd: Tokyo (8.7%)
43rd : Osaka (7.8%)
44th : Okinawa (7.6%)
45th : Kanagawa (7.4%)
46th: Hokkaido (7.1%)
What we sense from these results is that the vaccination rate is high in the Tohoku region.
It does not mean that the vaccination rate is higher in urban areas.
Immunization Rates by Age Group
Immunization coverage varies by age group; the percentage of first dose immunization coverage in FY2022 by age group is as follows
13-year olds: 20.3
14-year olds: 23.2
15-year olds: 22.8
16-year olds: 19.5
17-year-olds: 16.9
As can be seen, the vaccination rate is high among the 13- to 15-year-old age group, and the rate decreases as the age increases.
Looking at these figures alone, it would seem that about 20% of the population is vaccinated, but I will tell you that this is considerably lower than in other countries.
*If we identify only this age group, the vaccination rate is about 20%, but if we look from the subject of women, the vaccination rate is about 1%.
In other words, we can say that this is because there is almost no vaccination of people before 2010.
Cervical Cancer Vaccine Coverage Overseas
Percentage of girls vaccinated against HPV in 2021
U.S.A. 61
Canada 87
United Kingdom 83
Italy 32％ Germany 47
Germany 47％ Germany
France 37
Australia 82% (by 2022)
South Korea 72% (in 2022)
Looking at the percentages of other countries, there seems to be a large gap between countries.
It may be that the side effects are still different from country to country.
Adverse Reactions to Cervical Cancer Vaccine
Although the cervical cancer vaccine is relatively safe, adverse reactions can occur.
The main adverse reactions are as follows
Pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site
headache
fatigue
muscle pain
fever
Adverse reactions are usually mild and temporary.
Rarely, severe symptoms have been reported.
Anaphylaxis
difficulty breathing, hives, or other allergic reactions
Guillain-Barré syndrome
Peripheral nerve disease with symptoms such as weakness in both hands and feet
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
Headache, vomiting. Neurological diseases of the brain and other parts of the body with symptoms such as headache, vomiting, and loss of consciousness
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
A disease of unknown cause that produces chronic pain triggered by trauma.
*Seriously serious adverse reactions such as these occur in rare cases. It is a fact that this symptom has not been widely reported in Japan.
Regarding adverse reactions, you should thoroughly investigate by yourself, or your parents should investigate thoroughly on your behalf before considering whether or not you should receive the vaccination.
Summary
The vaccination rate for the cervical cancer vaccine in Japan is said to be about 1%.
One of the reasons for this overwhelmingly low rate, compared to other countries, is that the news has fueled anxiety among parents of children who are eligible for the vaccine.
However, looking at the adverse reactions, I am honestly not sure if I would want my child to be vaccinated.
I have decided to do my own research on this issue and have decided that this is what I would do.
I made my decision after a great deal of research, so please do not be swayed by others and make your own decision after carefully examining the correct information!
