Vaccine against cervical cancer 'protects for at least six years'

The vaccine against cervical cancer is effective for at least six years without the need for a booster, the latest research has shown.

The vaccine, called Cervarix, protects against the virus that causes 80 per cent of cancers long-term, a study in The Lancet has found.

All 12 and 13-year-old girls are currently being offered the vaccine as part of a Government's programme to cut the number of women developing cancer
Around eight out of ten girls are taking up the offer.

A study conducted in New Mexico comparing the number of vaccinated girls who became infected with strains 16 and 18 of the human papilloma virus with those who were not.

The vaccine protected 100 per cent of girls against the strains for at least 6.4 years, the authors said. This was as long as the girls have so far been followed for.

The safety of the vaccine was good, with eight per cent of girls having the jab reporting health problems afterwards compared with 10 per cent of girls who received a placebo jab. None of the problems were found to have been connected to the vaccine.

The study is by Dr Cosette Wheeler, University of New Mexico NM, USA, and colleagues from the GlaxoSmithKline, which makes Cervarix.

Although further assessment is necessary to confirm long-term vaccine effects, in view of the data from the study, researchers expect protection to continue for many more years.

The virus is passed on through intimate contact and girls need to be vaccinated before sexual activity begins for full benefit.