What it is like compared to traditional vaccines
Vaccines are classified as "polyvalent vaccines" because of the number of viruses they can prevent. In general, the higher the "number" of the vaccine, the higher the value of the vaccine and the higher the price. There are more than 40 known viruses that cause cervical cancer, including the human papillomavirus (HPV). So far, no polyvalent vaccine has been developed that can prevent all 40 HPVs. Cervarix and Gardasil, which are currently prescribed as national immunization vaccines in Korea, prevent two and four types of HPV, respectively.
Cervarix is a bivalent vaccine that protects against HPV types 16 and 18. It can prevent cervical cancer, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, and vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia. Gardasil is a quadrivalent vaccine that prevents HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18. Compared to Cervarix, the prevention rate of female genital diseases has increased. The advantage is that it is a vaccine that can be given to men as well. Gardasil is effective in preventing genital warts (condylomas) in men, anal cancer, and anal intraepithelial tumors.
Gardasil 9, which was launched in July last year, is effective in preventing types 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58 in addition to the four HPV types that the previous Gardasil vaccine prevented. The types of diseases that can be prevented remain the same, but the scope of prevention has been expanded from 70% to 90%. It is the most effective HPV vaccine in existence. This is thanks to the fact that it has been able to prevent HPV types 52 and 58, which are found in the second and third most common cases in Korean women. Existing quadrivalent vaccines cannot prevent viruses.
ᅵSafety
Since Gardasil 9 has a wider range of prevention than the existing Gardasil, it can be assumed that there are as many adverse reactions as the stronger drug effects.
Korea MSD, which imports Gardasil, said, "There have been no more adverse reactions of Gardasil 9 compared to the existing Gardasil."It is the official opinion. This is the result of 7 clinical studies conducted by MSD Korea on 15,000 women and men aged 9~26. Local reactions such as pain, swelling, redness, and hives may occur at the injection site, or systemic reactions such as fever, nausea, and muscle aches may occur, but most of them are mild and can be recovered within a few days. Occasionally, adverse reactions such as chills and fainting may occur, but these are said to be adverse reactions that can occur even after other vaccinations. MSD Korea said that in order to reduce adverse reactions, it is necessary to use psychological, He said it is better to get vaccinated when you are physically healthy.
In February 2014, the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Vaccine Safety Advisory Committee (GACVS) concluded that, based on various clinical data, HPV vaccination is not associated with the development of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also issued an official opinion in 2015, stating that various studies prove the safety of the HPV vaccine. The European Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology have also confirmed that it is safe through official opinions. Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also announced in December, A review of 16 reported adverse reactions after vaccination in nearly 150,000 people found that there were no particularly worrisome adverse events specific to the cervical cancer vaccine.
However, there is a possibility that adverse reactions that have not been identified so far may appear in the future. However, this is a risk that all drugs carry. Evaluation of the long-term preventive effectiveness and safety of Gardasil 9 will continue.
Gardasil, how to fit inexpensively
Gardasil 9 has the advantage of having a wider range of prevention and some degree of proven safety. The biggest problem is the price. So far, only Cervarix and the existing Gardasil are included in the national immunization vaccines. If you want to get Gardasil 9, you need to contact your medical institution individually to get vaccinated.
Gardasils are quite expensive. The cost of three doses of Gardasil is usually between 45~550,000 won, but Gardasil 9 is sold about 100,000 won higher. Of course, the prevention rate of HPV disease increases by about 20%. The choice is up to the consumer.
If you have made up your mind to get Gardasil 9, you should sell your "footwear". To get it at a lower price. Gardasil is an uninsured vaccine. Therefore, the cost of vaccination varies widely from hospital to hospital. When the reporter inquired about 100 hospitals in Seoul, the cost of three doses was at least 550,000 won and up to 690,000 won. Most medical institutions charged 60~630,000 won. As a result of the reporter's investigation, the cost of a single dose of Gardasil 9 was 21~230,000 won.
Gardasil 9-valent was available at most medical institutions nationwide, including pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine, internal medicine, and university hospitals. Of course, about one-third of medical institutions do not carry the Gardasil 9-valent vaccine. There were some places that only brought in Gardasil 4-ga, and there were also places that only dealt with Cervarix, not Gardasil. There was no difference in cost by region or type of medical institution. It was difficult to find a general regularity that would make it cheaper in which region or in which medical institution was cheaper. The best way to do this is to contact a few hospitals in your area and get vaccinated. If you go to the website of the Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, you can find the names and contact information of local hospitals registered with the society.
Other Curious Facts
➀ Are all HPV-type diseases included in the vaccine preventable?
The HPV vaccine is a preventive vaccine, not a cure, so it is not known to be effective in preventing HPV disease that you have had before. For example, if you have HPV type 31, you may not be able to prevent Gardasil 9 (including HPV type 31) from getting it later. However, studies have shown that even if you have been infected with HPV, getting vaccinated can reduce the chances of additional types and reinfections.
➁ What are some common vaccine myths?
"If you get hit, you're at high risk of infertility" or "If you use a male condom, you don't have to get it" are myths. The link between vaccines and infertility has not yet been proven, and many studies have shown that condoms are not helpful because HPV is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact. However, it's true that smoking increases the risk of cervical cancer.
➂ Does it work for anyone? Can having sex be effective?
Of course, people who have had sex can also benefit from it. The same goes for people who have given birth.
➃ What can and should not be done during the vaccination period?
It takes at least six months to get three doses of the 9-valent vaccine. While being vaccinated, you can still have sex, take birth control pills, and breastfeed. However, it is necessary to refrain from changing sexual partners frequently or having sexual intercourse frequently, as this increases the incidence of cervical cancer. Smoking is also a major cause of the disease, so you should be careful. If you become pregnant, you should stop getting vaccinated. Even if you stop, you can continue to receive the vaccine after giving birth. You don't need to get the first dose again.
➄ Can it be used interchangeably with Cervarix?
Cervarix and Gardasil cannot be used interchangeably with Gardasil 9. In other words, you can't get the first dose with the existing vaccine and the second and third doses with Gardasil 9. It is possible to re-vaccinate Gardasil 9 after completing the vaccination of the original vaccine.
➅ If I have received the original vaccine, do I still need to get the 9-valent vaccine?
It's optional. If desired, a person who has been fully vaccinated with the quadrivalent vaccine can receive another dose of the pentavalent vaccine. If you want to gain immunity against the type of HPV that the Gardasil quadrivalent vaccine does not prevent, it is recommended that you get the 9-valent vaccine.
➆ If I get the vaccine, will I not have to be screened for cervical cancer in the future?
Even if you are vaccinated, you should still get regular cervical cancer screenings.There are more than 200 known types of HPV, and more than 40 of them are viruses that cause diseases of the genitals and anus. Even the most protective heterovalent vaccine can only prevent nine types of HPV. Of course, it can prevent 90% of HPV, which causes cervical cancer. However, because of the risk of HPV infection, which affects about 10% of the population, it is important to continue to get screened for cervical cancer even after vaccination.The recommended test cycle is 2~3 years.
➇ How long does the vaccine last in protection?
So far, a booster dose after three doses of Gardasil is not recommended.Korea's MSD says that there is no need to re-vaccinate the patient because it can be seen that the disease is prevented through a sufficient immune memory response even after a long period of time.
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