About HPV vaccination

Vaccination, alongside regular screening and a healthy lifestyle, can help reduce your risk of developing cervical cancer.^5-7 If you’ve ever had, have or plan to have a sexual relationship you may be at risk of catching the virus that can cause cervical cancer.

Your doctor or nurse will advise you if vaccination is something you should consider.

Here you can find out about how vaccination works, the part it can play in helping to protect you from cervical cancer and where you can have it.

What is vaccination and how does it work?

Your immune system’s job is to fight disease and protect you from infection. However, it isn’t always able to do this.

The HPV vaccination helps prevent virus infections that could develop into cervical cancer.¹⁶ It does this by activating your immune system to make antibodies against the most common cancer-causing HPV infections. This means that when these types of HPV try to infect the cervix, the body recognises the virus and clears it with the antibodies that the vaccine has made it produce. Like most vaccines, it is designed to give you immunity against infection and developing the disease.

As the vaccination does not protect against every single HPV type that can cause cervical cancer, it is still very important to have regular cervical screening (smear tests) when invited.^6,16

Vaccination still works even if you have had sexual intercourse, but it won’t treat any infections that you may already have.¹⁵

Who can get the vaccination and where can they get it?

You can get vaccination through the NHS under the national immunisation programme if you are a girl aged 12-18, even if you have left school (i.e. all girls born on or after 1st September 1990).¹⁴

In most areas, health authorities are offering vaccination through the NHS schools-based programme. However, some have chosen to offer all vaccination through GP surgeries. It's worth checking with your local GP surgery to find out where and how vaccinations are being given in your area.

The vaccination programme for 12-18 year old girls is estimated to save up to 400 lives a year.⁷

If you are over 18 years old, you can speak to your GP, nurse or high street pharmacist about local availability of vaccination

What happens when you get vaccinated?

The vaccination is given as three injections over a six month period.³¹ It is important that you have all three injections to ensure that you are protected against the two types of the HPV virus that cause 70% of cervical cancers.¹⁶

Is HPV vaccination safe?

The HPV vaccines, in line with all medicines, have undergone rigorous testing in large numbers of people before being licensed.