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How effective is vaccination?

Very effective - vaccination can prevent seven out of ten cervical cancers from developing, so you will be much less likely to get cervical cancer if you have the vaccination. How long this protection lasts is not yet fully determined. The need for a future booster dose has not yet been established. It is important to note that vaccination will not clear up or resolve any HPV infections present at the time of vaccination and that regular attendance for your smear test should continue even if you are vaccinated [13] [14].

Is vaccination still effective even if I am already sexually active?

Yes. Thousands of the women in the clinical trials for vaccination were already sexually active and the vaccine prevented all the precancerous lesions caused by new infections with HPV 16/18. The need for a future booster dose has not yet been established. It is important to note that vaccination will not clear up or resolve any HPV infections present at the time of vaccination and that regular attendance for your smear test should continue even if you are vaccinated.

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