Myth #1: Young girls are being used as “guinea pigs” for an unproven vaccine.

Fact: The HPV vaccine has proven safe and effective in protecting young women from cervical cancer – the second most common form of cancer in women age 20-44.

The HPV vaccine has been scientifically studied in thousands of women in North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific Region.
Almost 100% of the women developed protective antibodies for the four types of HPV included in the vaccine.
For those women, the vaccine prevented almost 100% of pre-cancer changes in the cervix for the four types of HPV included in the vaccine.
The HPV vaccine is safe. Most side effects are minor and last only a day or two (fever or pain, redness and swelling at the site where the vaccine was given). These reactions are part of the body’s normal immune response and are common after most vaccines.
Vaccines are licensed for use in Canada only if they meet very strict standards for safety and effectiveness.
Assuring the safety of vaccines and medications does not stop with licensing.
Across Canada there is a reporting network to Health Canada that keeps track of side effects from both vaccines and medications. Health Canada investigates any possible problems.

HPV Myths

HPV vaccine