Gardasil 9 has been launched in Singapore since 1 April 2017.
We are one of the clinics to offer this cervical cancer vaccine in Punggol, Singapore.
What is all the hype about?
It is not just because it is new, but it has also shown to have improvement (Petrosky et al. 2015) in the protection against cervical cancer, anal cancer and genital warts. In fact, in the same research, it was also found that it can help to save money in the long run.
What is the difference between Gardasil 9, Gardasil and Cervarix?
| Gardasil 9 | Gardasil Quadrivalent | Cervarix | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Papillomavirus Types Covered | 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58 | 6, 11, 16, and 18 | 16, 18 |
| Price | $$$ | $$ | $ |
| Protection against Cancer | +++ | ++ | ++ |
| Protection against genital warts | +++ | ++ | + |
| Injection Timings | Three jabs: 0 months, 2 months and 6 months | Three jabs: 0 months, 2 months and 6 months | Three jabs: 0 months, 1 months and 6 months |
| Possible Side Effects | as below, SAME | as below, SAME | as below, SAME |
Update on 9 November 2018
Stocks are back in, come and get while it lasts!
Wait, hold on to all your medical terms! What in the world are we talking about?
If you look deep inside a woman’s below, there is a cone shaped thing (cervix) that leads into the womb (uterus). This part can get infected by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) over time (when the woman starts to have partners), and this virus causes the body to react badly. Once you are infected with HPV, the virus doesn’t go away! It causes the body cells to keep growing and growing. When the body cells keeps “growing and growing”, there will be a point when some of them go berserk and decide to become cancerous.
So, when a Zenith doctor gives you a HPV vaccine, we are essentially going back to where it begun (almost :p). We are trying to prevent the cervix from even catching the virus in the first place.
How common is HPV infection?
A study conducted in Singapore found that 1 in 5 Singapore females have HPV infection and half of these females already carry the virus strains that are known to cause cancer (Tay et al. 2008).
How does the vaccine work out?
It gives your body some virus parts and makes your body detect and kill it the next time it meets this virus, instead of letting it fester and cause problems. Even if you have already caught one of the sub-types of virus, the vaccine will still be effective against the many other strains. That is why it is still effective even after sexual exposure.
When should I get it done?
This vaccine is approved for use in girls 9 to 26 years old. Truly, there are few things that can actually prevent cancer to this extent and this easily, but this is one of them.
So the short answer is: yes, you should get it done as early as possible.
What if I don’t belong to the above age and gender group?
Apparently, the HPV vaccine can still benefit older women, but not as much, and in Singapore, the government only allows Medisave claims up to and before your 27th birthday.
This vaccine has been highly recommended in males as well. It can reduce the risk of genital warts and cancer. It can also protect your spouse.
Another group for which this vaccine has been highly advocated is the MSM community. There are additional benefits of reducing warts and anal cancer. Unfortunately, the government does not subsidise this group of people yet.
What is the 2 dose regime about?
Good question, for boys and girls 9 to 14 years old, there is a recommendation to just take 2 doses 6 months apart instead of 3.
What if I am pregnant?
Hmm, the thing is NOT that this vaccine is dangerous to your unborn child. It is that we have NOT run tests on this group of patients, so the short answer is “we don’t know”. Hence, we tend to wait until the end of the pregnancy to complete the injections.
What if if you got pregnant after you got vaccinated? Fret not, it has not been shown to be dangerous so far.
What are the possible side effects?
- Pain, swelling and redness with any vaccination is common, but in my experience it should last only a few days
- Bruising, bleeding and having a lump over the area is quite common too. Try to apply an ice pack over the area after the injection
- Headache, fever and nausea are less common, but they are short-lived as well
- Dizziness with injections are common especially for some patients with fainting spells and “vasovagal syncope”. Please tell the Zenith doctors if you have such a problem!
- Severe allergies. However, these are extremely rare and can be treated, which is why vaccines are only approved to be given in clinics with the proper equipment to save you.
- Reference: (Markowitz et al. 2014)
I want to get vaccinated now!
As this is a new vaccine, stocks are limited and running out fast. Please call in (64433678) to reserve your jab now, or drop us your contact details for us to get back to you.
References
Markowitz, Lauri E., Eileen F. Dunne, Mona Saraiya, Harrell W. Chesson, C. Robinette Curtis, Julianne Gee, Joseph A. Bocchini Jr, Elizabeth R. Unger, Centers for Disease Control, and Prevention (CDC). 2014. “Human Papillomavirus Vaccination: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).” MMWR Recomm Rep 63 (RR-05): 1–30.
Petrosky, Emiko, Joseph A. Bocchini Jr, Susan Hariri, Harrell Chesson, C. Robinette Curtis, Mona Saraiya, Elizabeth R. Unger, Lauri E. Markowitz, Centers for Disease Control, and Prevention (CDC). 2015. “Use of 9-Valent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine: Updated HPV Vaccination Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.” MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 64 (11): 300–304.
Tay, Sun Kuie, Hextan Y. S. Ngan, Tang-Yuan Chu, Annie N. Y. Cheung, and Eng Hseon Tay. 2008. “Epidemiology of Human Papillomavirus Infection and Cervical Cancer and Future Perspectives in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.” Vaccine, Prevention of Cervical Cancer in the Asia Pacific Region: Progress and Challenges on HPV Vaccination and Screening, 26 (Supplement 12): M60–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.05.042.