Quebec to introduce protection program costing $600 a person

Nunavik girls and women will soon be able to protect themselves against a sexually transmitted infection that is the major cause of cervical cancer.

Next fall, Quebec plans to introduce a province-wide vaccine program against the human papilloma virus.

Quebec will vaccinate girls and women aged nine to 26 against HPV, using $40 million in federal money to pay for the purchase of the vaccine, which costs $600 a dose.

The vaccinations will be voluntary and vaccinations of minors will require the authorization of parents.

The HPV vaccine is reportedly highly effective at preventing cervical cancer. The vaccine offers 100 per cent protection against the development of cervical pre-cancers and genital warts caused by the some strains of HPV, with few or no side effects.

Protection offered by the vaccine is expected to last at least four and a half years after the initial vaccination.

The Canadian Pediatric Society has endorsed the vaccine, saying it should be given to girls 9 to 13.

Of the more than 100 known HPV types, 37 are transmitted through sexual contact. Infection with sexually transmitted HPVs is common in adults worldwide, and most genital HPV infections cause no symptoms.

Experts still recommend women receive regular Pap smear screening for abnormal cervical cells, even after vaccination. Some say men should be also be included in the vaccination effort because HPV also causes anal and penile cancer.

Critics of mass HPV vaccination programs say these could lead to reductions in safer sex and Pap screening rates.