• About Pap tests or Pap smears
• Who should have Pap tests or Pap smears?
• The human papillomavirus (HPV)
• The cervical cancer vaccine
• Pap tests after vaccination
• How does the vaccine work?
• Who should have the vaccine?
• Where to get the vaccine and costs
• Vaccine safety
• Abnormal Pap test (or Pap smear) results and treatment
• Cervical cancer

Vaccine safety

The vaccine was tested in more than 20,000 people from 33 countries prior to being approved, and was shown to be extremely safe and effective in preventing almost 100% of infections with HPV types 16 and 18.

The vaccine has now been approved for use in more than 100 countries, and more than 54 million doses of the vaccine have been distributed worldwide.

Does the vaccine have any side effects?

All medicines can have side effects. Some people may suffer from mild side effects on receiving the vaccine. These side effects can occur on receiving any vaccination. They include:

• dizziness or fainting
• low fever
• soreness or redness at injection site.

More severe side effects such as anaphylatic (allergic) reaction are extremely rare and usually occur if you are allergic to an ingredient in the vaccine. Ongoing monitoring of more severe side effects shows approximately three anaphylatic reactions occur per one million doses of vaccine administered.

If an allergic reaction does occur, it can be treated.

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