By AFPMore by this AuthorThe rapid scale-up of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine could virtually eliminate cervical cancer in a handful of rich countries within three decades, and in most other nations by century's end, researchers said Wednesday. "This is a potential threshold for considering cervical cancer to be eliminated as a major public health problem," the authors said in a statement. Achieving that goal, however, depends on "both high coverage of HPV vaccination and cervical screening," she added. It takes 15 to 20 years for cervical cancer to develop in women with normal immune systems. Clinical trials have shown that HPV vaccines are safe and effective against the two HPV strains – types 16 and 18 – responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancer cases.

Source: Daily Nation February 19, 2019 23:37 UTC