Doctors raise the importance of HPV vaccination to prevent cervical and a few other cancers
Vaccinating girls aged nine to 14 years against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is crucial for prevention of cervical cancers and a few other cancers. But equally important is vaccinating boys against HPV for a number of reasons, according to doctors.
There are three reasons why boys should also be vaccinated against HPV, Jayashree N., gynaecologic oncologist and associate professor, Cancer Institute (WIA), said. 'First, it can cause cancers in men too. Secondly, they could transmit the virus to women, and thirdly, there is no screening test for men.'
Somu Sivabalan, consultant Paediatrician and Pulmonologist, Rainbow Children's Hospital, explained that HPV being a sexually transmitted infection, it could spread from men. It could cause genital warts and precancerous changes. 'The primary target for HPV vaccination are girls aged nine to 14. Boys of the same age group are the secondary target for the vaccination,' he said.
The doctors, who spoke at 'Conquer HPV and Cancer Conclave 2025', stressed that HPV was not limited to cervical cancer alone. It was associated with cancers of the vulva, vagina, anus in women and cancers of the penis, anus and oropharynx in men. The conclave was organised in Chennai on Tuesday as a part of a nationwide public health initiative led by Serum Institute of India.
Dr. Jayashree said that vaccination and screening are the two pillars to prevent cervical cancers. Countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States of America as well as European countries had an HPV vaccination programme as a result of which the incidence of cervical cancers has reduced, she said.
Discussing the safety of the vaccine, Dr. Jayashree noted that Cancer Institute had administered 3,500 doses of the vaccine so far, and there had been no side effects. B. Sarath Balaji, senior Paediatric Pulmonologist and associate professor, Institute of Child Health, said that except for mild pain, redness in the site and mild fever, there had been no major side effects. He added that there was greater awareness among parents in cities about the vaccine.
S. Vijaya, head of department and professor, ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, stressed the importance of taking time to counsel parents about the importance of the vaccine. Members of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India were involved in creating awareness and training for doctors.
Kavitha Sukumar, associate professor, Surgical Oncology, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said screening for cervical cancer is simple. 'We have HPV DNA testing and pap smear. Now, self testing kits are also available,' she said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Nearly 600 in UK may die this week — a deadly heatwave warning from scientists
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Hundreds of people in the UK may die from heat-related causes this weekend, researchers have warned, as a new real-time analysis estimates that high temperatures from Thursday to Sunday could claim as many as 570 at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London published the findings on Saturday, using a model that combines mortality risk with weather forecasts to calculate potential deaths during the ongoing heatwave According to the study, there could have been 114 fatalities on Thursday and 152 on Friday. The toll is expected to rise over the weekend, with a projected 303 additional heat-related deaths . Saturday is forecast to be the deadliest day, with 266 deaths, nearly half of which could occur in London."Our study should be taken as a warning," said Malcolm Mistry, who took part in the study and teaches at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. "Exposure to temperatures in the high-20s or low-30s may not seem dangerous, but they can be fatal, particularly for people aged over 65, infants, pregnant people and those with pre-existing health conditions."This is the first real-time assessment of heat-related excess deaths in 2025 by these institutions. The study uses decades of UK data to model health risks in 34,753 neighbourhoods across England and Wales. The researchers estimate a peak of 266 excess deaths on Saturday alone, when the heat is expected to be most severe. London is forecast to see the highest toll, with 129 excess deaths on that analysis arrives amid growing concern over the impact of extreme heat on public health. A separate study published on Friday found that the current heatwave was made around 10 times more likely — and 2°C to 4°C hotter — due to climate European nations are also bracing for deadly conditions this Germany, the national weather service issued heat warnings for Sunday across much of the western and northern parts of the country, including the cities of Frankfurt, Cologne, Hamburg, and Berlin. The warnings are triggered when temperatures are predicted to reach levels that could endanger is facing similar threats. Meteo France warned of an early heatwave in parts of western France on Saturday, with temperatures forecast to rise to around 39°C. The eastern departments of Rhone and Isere are also affected. An orange-level heat alarm has been issued, which signals the need for 'very vigilant' behaviour in light of 'dangerous phenomena.'Tracking the true number of heat-related deaths is complex, researchers say. While high temperatures exacerbate a range of existing health conditions, few death certificates list heat as a direct contributing cause.'Many people who lose their lives in heatwaves rarely have heat listed as a contributing cause of death,' said Garyfallos Konstantinoudis, lecturer at Imperial College UK has been experiencing unusually intense and sustained heat this week, particularly for this time of year. Health authorities have issued repeated warnings about the risks to vulnerable warming has sharply raised the chances of early heatwaves. According to a separate study published Friday by researchers from Imperial College and the World Weather Attribution group, a heatwave like this would have occurred once every 50 years before the industrial era. Now, it is estimated to occur every five years due to climate change.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Europe Bathing Waters: Most of Europe's bathing waters safe for swimming: Report
News Most of Europe's bathing waters safe for swimming: Report Share AA + Text Size Small Medium Large More than three quarters of bathing waters monitored in the European Union, Albania and Switzerland were of "excellent" quality in 2024, the 27-member bloc's environment agency said on Friday. EU members meanwhile are obliged to monitor popular bathing places from May to September and rank the water quality as excellent, good, sufficient or poor. COPENHAGEN: More than three-quarters of bathing waters monitored in the European Union, Albania and Switzerland were of "excellent" quality in 2024, the 27-member bloc's environment agency said on Friday. All but four per cent met the EU's minimum standard ("sufficient") and just 1.5 per cent were of "poor" quality, the European Environment Agency said in its annual update on the beaches, rivers and lakes that are tested for faecal contamination. Overall, Europe's bathing waters were of the same standard in 2024 as in the year before. The EEA monitors more than 22,000 bathing areas for bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and intestinal enterococci, caused essentially by pollutant run-off from livestock farms and household sewage pipes. "Europeans can confidently bathe in the vast majority of the EU's bathing sites that meet the EU's bathing quality standards," European Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall said. The best bathing waters last year were in Cyprus, where 99.2 per cent were of excellent quality, followed by Bulgaria with 97.9 per cent, Greece with 97 and Croatia with 95.2. The EU-wide average was 85 per cent. Albania came bottom in the ranking, with just 16 per cent of excellent quality bathing waters -- a drop of more than 25 percentage points over the space of a year. Poland was second from bottom at 58.1 per cent, a slight improvement from 2023. In general, beaches were cleaner than rivers and lakes because of seawater's better capacity for renewal. Many of central Europe's inland bathing areas are found in relatively small lakes, ponds and rivers, which are more susceptible than coastal areas to short-term pollution caused by heavy rains, the EEA said. The agency said climate change was expected to increase the intensity and frequency of various extreme weather events, including heavy rains. "In turn, these events will impact bathing water quality through pollution from sewer overflows, floods or surface run-off. "This will come with corresponding potential increased health risks for bathers," it said on its website. The EEA no longer collates data on bathing water in the UK, which left the bloc. But the national Environment Agency found that in 2024, just 64.2 per cent of England's bathing waters were "excellent" and 8.2 per cent failed to meet the minimum standard and were classified as "poor". British water companies, privatised since 1989, have repeatedly come under fire for allowing the discharge of large quantities of sewage into rivers and the sea. EU members, meanwhile, are obliged to monitor popular bathing places from May to September and rank the water quality as excellent, good, sufficient or poor. Of the 321 bathing sites that were recorded as poor in 2023, a fifth had improved by last year. In such cases, authorities must shut the area to bathers the following year and take steps to reduce pollution and health hazards before they can re-open. End of Article Follow Us On Social Media Israel Iran News Modi Bihar Visit Uttarakhand chopper crash Mumbai rain Kerala rains New Tatkal ticket booking rules Lufthansa Flight Russell Wilson Joe Burrow Wayne Gretzky IND vs ENG Test Match Series Live Patrick Mahomes NBA Trade Rumors Jonathan Toews Kevin Durant Myles Garrett NHL Trade Rumors Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In Section Entire Website When Apple founder Steve Jobs gifted brand new Jaguar to secretary after he got late to office; said ... When Apple founder Steve Jobs gifted brand new Jaguar to secretary after he got late to office; said ... Operation Sindoor: After PM Modi sets record straight on ceasefire deal, Donald Trump takes U-turn, says India and Pakistan 'decided' to stop conflict Operation Sindoor: After PM Modi sets record straight on ceasefire deal, Donald Trump takes U-turn, says India and Pakistan 'decided' to stop conflict 'Violation of standard airworthiness…': Days before Air India crash, DGCA warned airline of breaching safety rules on Airbus aircraft: Report 'Violation of standard airworthiness…': Days before Air India crash, DGCA warned airline of breaching safety rules on Airbus aircraft: Report 'Keep my bag or I'll crash the plane': Bengaluru-Surat Air India Express flight delayed as doctor threatens crew; deboarded 'Keep my bag or I'll crash the plane': Bengaluru-Surat Air India Express flight delayed as doctor threatens crew; deboarded 'Told to change statement, then fired': Former Air India staffers claim they exposed Boeing 787 Dreamliner door glitch in 2024; seek PM Narendra Modi's intervention 'Told to change statement, then fired': Former Air India staffers claim they exposed Boeing 787 Dreamliner door glitch in 2024; seek PM Narendra Modi's intervention Amazon gives employees 30 days 'deadline' to …. or resign in 60 days Amazon gives employees 30 days 'deadline' to …. or resign in 60 days 'Just one or two flights left, then I am going to be just with Papa': Air India pilot's last words haunt neighbours as Powai says goodbye to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal 'Just one or two flights left, then I am going to be just with Papa': Air India pilot's last words haunt neighbours as Powai says goodbye to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal 'Not asking for US green light': Netanyahu says Israel will hit all nuclear sites in Iran; quiet on eliminating Khamenei 'Not asking for US green light': Netanyahu says Israel will hit all nuclear sites in Iran; quiet on eliminating Khamenei Air India crash: N Chandrasekaran makes important statement; says AI 171 Boeing 787 Dreamliner had 'new engine', 'clean history' & 'no red flags' Air India crash: N Chandrasekaran makes important statement; says AI 171 Boeing 787 Dreamliner had 'new engine', 'clean history' & 'no red flags' 'My dad tried to kill..': Wayne Gretzky opens up about how his father tried to stop 'The Great One' nickname from sticking When Apple founder Steve Jobs gifted brand new Jaguar to secretary after he got late to office; said ... When Apple founder Steve Jobs gifted brand new Jaguar to secretary after he got late to office; said ... Operation Sindoor: After PM Modi sets record straight on ceasefire deal, Donald Trump takes U-turn, says India and Pakistan 'decided' to stop conflict Operation Sindoor: After PM Modi sets record straight on ceasefire deal, Donald Trump takes U-turn, says India and Pakistan 'decided' to stop conflict 'Violation of standard airworthiness…': Days before Air India crash, DGCA warned airline of breaching safety rules on Airbus aircraft: Report 'Violation of standard airworthiness…': Days before Air India crash, DGCA warned airline of breaching safety rules on Airbus aircraft: Report 'Keep my bag or I'll crash the plane': Bengaluru-Surat Air India Express flight delayed as doctor threatens crew; deboarded 'Keep my bag or I'll crash the plane': Bengaluru-Surat Air India Express flight delayed as doctor threatens crew; deboarded 'Told to change statement, then fired': Former Air India staffers claim they exposed Boeing 787 Dreamliner door glitch in 2024; seek PM Narendra Modi's intervention 'Told to change statement, then fired': Former Air India staffers claim they exposed Boeing 787 Dreamliner door glitch in 2024; seek PM Narendra Modi's intervention Amazon gives employees 30 days 'deadline' to …. or resign in 60 days Amazon gives employees 30 days 'deadline' to …. or resign in 60 days 'Just one or two flights left, then I am going to be just with Papa': Air India pilot's last words haunt neighbours as Powai says goodbye to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal 'Just one or two flights left, then I am going to be just with Papa': Air India pilot's last words haunt neighbours as Powai says goodbye to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal 'Not asking for US green light': Netanyahu says Israel will hit all nuclear sites in Iran; quiet on eliminating Khamenei 'Not asking for US green light': Netanyahu says Israel will hit all nuclear sites in Iran; quiet on eliminating Khamenei Air India crash: N Chandrasekaran makes important statement; says AI 171 Boeing 787 Dreamliner had 'new engine', 'clean history' & 'no red flags' Air India crash: N Chandrasekaran makes important statement; says AI 171 Boeing 787 Dreamliner had 'new engine', 'clean history' & 'no red flags' 'My dad tried to kill..': Wayne Gretzky opens up about how his father tried to stop 'The Great One' nickname from sticking Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
T.N. government initiates steps to roll out HPV vaccination for girls aged 14
: Moving ahead to implement its budget announcement, Tamil Nadu has initiated the process to procure Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines for girls aged 14. This is to prevent cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer in women. The Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC) has floated tenders for the procurement, and the supply is most likely to reach hospitals in another three months. One of the key budget announcements for 2025-2026, the State government plans to progressively provide HPV vaccination to all girls aged 14 years. It allocated ₹36 crore for the purpose. In line with this announcement, the Health Department constituted a State Advisory Committee in April for the rollout of the HPV vaccination programme. The committee, which has the Health Secretary as its chairperson, comprises officials and experts. The directors of School Education, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Medical and Rural Health Services, Medical Education and Research, Institute of Child Health, and Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology are among its members. Experts, including those in the field of HPV vaccination projects, and representatives from technical/partner agencies are also a part of the committee. 'The State Advisory Committee has discussed all modalities, including protocols for vaccination. Based on its recommendations, we have gone ahead with the procurement of vaccines. The TNMSC has floated the tenders to procure them,' T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said. He added that the programme would be initiated by vaccinating girl aged 14 (students of Class IX) in government and government-aided schools. 'Prior to vaccination, we will start creating awareness among children and their family members,' he said. Another official said it would take another three months for the supply to reach hospitals. Cancer Institute (WIA), in a year of launching its HPV vaccination initiative at its screening centre at Villupuram Government Hospital and Chennai, has so far administered around 3,500 doses of HPV vaccine, according to Jayashree Natarajan, Gynaecologic Oncologist and Associate Professor, Cancer Institute (WIA). 'The numbers are more in Chennai owing to high awareness levels,' she said. Cervical cancer is the second most common among women after breast cancer. However, it is still the most prevalent cancer in some rural areas, she said, adding: 'Vaccination is not going to prevent cervical cancer alone. It will prevent pre-invasive lesions that progress to cancer.' There are no concerns regarding the safety of the vaccines, she says. 'HPV vaccination programmes have been implemented in places such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. These countries have brought down the cervical cancer rates through screening and vaccination,' Dr. Jayashree said.
