CPV vaccination is not a discount promotion or a game

Human papillomavirus (CPV) infection can cause a range of diseases in both men and women, including precancerous lesions, which, if not diagnosed in time, may develop into tumors in various parts of the body, so prevention of this problem is undoubtedly more effective and safer. Fundamentally, it means protecting yourself or those around you from this infection.

It is in everyone’s interest to protect themselves from serious diseases and not become chronic patients, which affects the quality of life and length of life. The logic should be that the state provides vaccination against CPV with appropriate investments, with the goal of reducing the huge and expensive costs of oncological diseases and patient treatment and hospitalization, and the loss of taxpayers is no longer an economic loss. positive. This is only financial logic, but there are also international experiences and strategies in healthcare.

The World Health Organization (WHO) stated in its 2022 position paper (Position Paper) emphasizes the need to prioritize vaccination strategies for different age groups (Vaccination for multiple age groups Jeb apple), in addition to countless scientific studies and evidence, their meta-analysis shows that not only adolescents need to be vaccinated with CPV, but also various other groups in adulthood. The most important of these are women and men between the ages of 18 and 26, immunosuppressed patients, HIV patients (especially those under 45 years old), and women before or after surgical treatment of the cervix for HSIL (moderate/severe dysplasia) and AIS (adenocarcinoma in situ).

Taking into account the meta-analysis of scientific evidence and the basis of the WHO global strategy, as well as the recommendations of the European Commission, 42 countries in Europe and the world, including the United Kingdom, Finland, Germany, Italy, Denmark, the United States, Australia, Canada, Israel and many other countries have included these groups in their national immunization programs. It is expected that this vaccination strategy for different age groups, namely the MAC strategy, will have a significantly faster vaccination effect in preventing or even eliminating precancerous lesions and CPV tumors in different sites compared with the vaccination strategy for the same age groups.

Certain age limits of the national program exclude several groups, making them corresponding risk groups. In addition, the responsiveness and activity of adolescents and their parents should be taken into account. The emphasis of our leading gynecologists on the elimination of cervical cancer is understandable, reasonable, natural and well-founded, but the experience of oncologists covers a wider range of situations, and I would like to draw attention to the fact that the virus does not discriminate between sexes or ages, and men also fall victim to this virus.

HPV infection causes a range of diseases in both men and women, including precancerous lesions that, if undiagnosed, may develop into tumors at various sites and account for a large proportion of all cancers in both men and women. Yes, HPV infection is the cause of nearly all cervical, oropharyngeal, anal, penile, vaginal, and most vulvar cancers. CPV has been linked to several other types of cancer in the tissues of the head and neck.

CPV-caused head and neck tumors tend to occur in young men who do not smoke and lead healthy lifestyles, unlike other head and neck tumors that are often associated with smoking, drinking and other vices. Unfortunately, when CPV infection spreads among young men, it can cause the destruction of lives and families. Oncologists say there is no truly effective chemotherapy for tumors caused by CPV, and while it is still possible for women to detect precancerous changes during effective screening and undergo the necessary procedures to prevent cancer, men usually have their tumors detected at the stage where they have not yet metastasized.

Taking all this into account, the above-mentioned vaccination strategy for different age groups is also suitable for the Latvian situation, when tumors and precancerous lesions caused by CPV represent a significant burden on healthcare, tumors caused by CPV infection still dominate the situation, and in Latvia, the incidence of these tumors is particularly low and the survival rate after diagnosis is particularly low according to European statistics. Therefore, the State Council Immunization Committee also supports Latvia’s implementation of a vaccination strategy for different age groups in the national plan.

I would like to believe that, similar to other societies in developed countries, many myths of the past have disappeared in Latvia, critical thinking has won out, and many girls and boys have done a great job of understanding all kinds of nonsense about vaccines. However, doctors’ experience shows that there is no shortage of cases in Latvia where critical thinking does not work, and young people have not been vaccinated when the state fully pays for the vaccination, but when they decide to get vaccinated themselves, they no longer have the opportunity to get the CPV vaccine and do not have enough income to pay for the CPV vaccination themselves.

Although adolescents have the right to disagree with their parents and make independent decisions from the age of 14, the influence of the family is still strong, so, for example, in the gynecologist’s office, precancerous lesions are often found. Most often in young women under 30. Should a young person who did not have time to be vaccinated before adulthood lose such an opportunity? Of course not, because in certain populations, this national program would lose its meaning and would not achieve its goals. The National Immunization Committee has already begun negotiations with the Ministry of Health and the National Health Service so that young people who for some reason were not vaccinated during their adolescence can be vaccinated at public expense.

In addition, there is no age limit for CPV vaccination, and infection with CPV does not produce immunity, so vaccination is the only way to prevent infection with carcinogenic viruses.