HPV (Human Papillomavirus)

Access: HPV

A four-minute video for teens about HPV

Questions and Answers with Dr. Gina Ogilvie

A 20-minute video for parents about HPV

Carmen's story

Do you know what a colposcopy is? How about a cone biopsy? Hear Carmen's moving experiences dealing with the consequences of living with HPV (4 minutes)

Summer's story

Watch Summer Smith's story of diagnosis, treatment, family support and eventual passing away as a result of cervical cancer.

Miss getting immunized against HPV in school?

Find out where you can go to get vaccinated.

Quick facts

  • 50 women die in BC every year from cervical cancer
  • The HPV vaccine is 98% effective against the two most common cancer causing strains, HPV 16 and 18
  • More than 93,000 doses of HPV vaccine have been given in BC with no serious side effects
  • The HPV vaccine is free for girls born in 1994 and later.

About the vaccine

There are two HPV vaccines licensed for use in Canada. One, Gardasil®, provides protection against 4 strains of HPV (2 cancer-causing strains, and 2 strains that cause genital warts). The other, Cervarix™, provides protection against 2 cancer-causing strains.



Who is eligible to receive HPV vaccine?



Gardasil® is currently provided free to girls in BC in grades 6 and 9. The best time to get vaccinated is grade 6 as the grade 9 program will end after 2010/2011. 


What if a girl missed getting the vaccine as part of the school program? 



The HPV vaccine continues to be provided free to all girls born after 1994 who missed their shots in grade 6 or 9. Girls who have missed getting immunized during the school year can contact their local public health unit to set up an appointment for the vaccine.



Who else is recommended to receive the HPV vaccine?



The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends the HPV vaccine for women up to the age of 26, but it is not provided free. If you are not covered by the school-based program please visit your doctor and get a prescription for the vaccine, which costs around $500 for three doses. 



The HPV vaccine is also approved for the prevention of genital warts in boys and men aged 9-26 years.



Studies are underway to examine how effective the Gardasil vaccine is in women, aged 26-45. Early information from these studies has shown the vaccine is effective but currently, Gardasil is only approved for use in girls and women aged 9-26.



What about HPV Vaccine for males?


For information on the HPV vaccine in males click here

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Other Useful Vaccine Links

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Electron micrograph of human papillomavirus (HPV). Courtesy of NCI. 1986.

About the disease

  • HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
  • Three out of four sexually active women will get HPV at some point in their lives.
  • Most don’t show any signs or symptoms and can pass the virus on to others without even knowing it.
  • Most HPV infections will clear on their own but for some women the HPV will not go away and cells infected with the virus can become cancerous over time.

Every year in BC:

  • 150 women will get cervical cancer
  • 50 women will die from the disease
  • 6,000 women will develop high risk changes to the cervix which are precancerous
  • 12,000 invasive procedures will be done to stop cancer of the cervix from developing

HPV visualized: Comparing the safety of the HPV vaccine to the risks from the disease

Other Useful Links