Cervical Cancer Only every second girl is vaccinated

Only every second girl is vaccinated against cancer viruses
Vaccination against human papilloma virus (HPV) infection can significantly reduce the risk of cervical cancer. But only about every second girl in Thuringia has such protection. Nationwide it looks even worse.

HP viruses are thought to be the cause of cervical cancer. (Image: rob3000 / fotolia)

HPV vaccine protects against various cancers
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is not only known as a potential cause of cervical cancer, but also increases the risk of many other cancers, such as tongue cancer, penile or throat cancer. Health experts recommend vaccination as early as childhood, but most health insurance companies only pay the HPV vaccine for girls between the ages of 14 and 17 years. Gynecologists advise even after the first sex for HPV vaccine. And even if an infection with HPV has already been through. According to doctors, a vaccine can prevent up to 85 percent of the various diseases.

Only every second girl in Thuringia vaccinated
In Thuringia, however, according to a message from the news agency dpa only one in two girls vaccinated against cervical cancer. This is the result of a representative study by Barmer GEK. As Barmer country director Hermann Schmitt explained on Monday, the vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection could become a real success story. Since 2006, therefore, a vaccine against the most dangerous HPV variants is available, with which the risk for cervical cancer can be significantly reduced.

Acceptance above the national average
However, in Thuringia, only 67 percent of all women over the age of 18 had the first vaccine dose. The recommended for a comprehensive protection third injection could then show the information then only 51.4 percent. Acceptance for this vaccine is therefore still above the national average in Thuringia. As reported, only one in three girls in this year is triple immunized in a country comparison. (Ad)