Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) infections aims to protect young girls from 11 to 14 years against diseases caused by this virus and in particular cancers of the female genital tract. To date, two vaccines are marketed in France: Gardasil which protects against HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 and Cervarix which protects against HPV types 16 and 18.
But since their marketing, many fears inhibit vaccination. Fear that the vaccine will lead to risky sexual behavior, that they cause phlebitis in young girls or autoimmune diseases.
The National Medicines Safety Agency and Health Insurance therefore carried out a survey from 2008 to 2012 among young girls aged 16 to 18 affiliated with the primary health insurance fund, of whom approximately 840,000 had been vaccinated against HPV infections (by Gardasil or Cervarix) and 1.4 million had not been vaccinated.
No increase in overall risk of autoimmune disease
“The analyzes compared the frequency of occurrence of autoimmune diseases between vaccinated young girls and those who had not been, focusing on 14 types of pathologies: demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system including multiple sclerosis , Guillain-Barré syndrome, lupus, scleroderma, vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis / juvenile arthritis, myositis, Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, immunological thrombocytopenic purpura, type 1 diabetes, thyroiditis and pancreatitis “ underlines the ANSM.
The results of this study, which have just been presented, are reassuring: “vaccination does not lead to an increase in the overall risk of occurrence of autoimmune diseases, thus confirming the data in the French and international literature” declare the experts.
The expected benefits remain greater than the risks
However, an increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (peripheral nerve damage characterized by weakness or even progressive paralysis) after vaccination against HPV infections appears likely: “the results of the study make it possible to specify the risk of appearance of this syndrome which, given the rarity of the disease, is limited: around 1 to 2 additional cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome for 100,000 young girls vaccinated” affirms the ANSM which concludes that ” the benefits expected from this vaccination in terms of public health remain much greater than the risks to which it may expose young girls”.
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