The European Medicines Agency has started a review of HPV vaccines in search of probable unusual side-effects.
This particular vaccination has been introduced in 2008 for UK girls for immunizing them against the virus which causes cervical cancer. The agency has said that its review really doesn’t question that the benefits of vaccination outweighing any risk. Rather they will be focusing on the unusual reports of two matters, one being the complex regional pain syndrome and a condition where standing up causes dizziness and a rapid heart rate.
The EMA has said that both of these conditions can happen to people who are not vaccinated and “it is considered important to further review if the number of cases reported with HPV vaccine is greater than would be expected.”
On the basis of this review, the agency will recommend whether any changes to the product information to better inform patients and healthcare professionals. There are no changes in recommendation for the use of HPV vaccinations while the review is still going on. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is mostly sexually transmitted infection and is very widespread.
Dr Sarah Branch, Deputy Director Of Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines at the UK’s drug regulatory body, the MHRA, said, “More than eight million doses of HPV vaccine have been given in the UK, with close to 90% of eligible teenagers vaccinated. With this very high level of vaccine uptake, such reports are to be expected. But the vaccine isn’t necessarily the cause and coincidental illness is a factor.”
The MHRA says that it has been notified of around 12 cases of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and 10 cases of complex regional pain syndrome.
