Being a mum and having a ten year old daughter I am interested in anything that will be of benefit to her now and in the future, so naturally I was curious about this HPV vaccine programme and the possible benefits for her.
 
Instead of just listening to all the “hype” over this vaccine I endeavoured to uncover actual facts.  I started with Helen Clark’s speech notes on her announcement of the “$177 million programme” two months ago in May (www.beehive.govt.nz/speech)   In her speech she states “About eight in every ten women who have been sexually active will have HPV at some stage of their life.  Normally there are no symptoms, and in 98 per cent of cases it clears itself.  But in those cases where it doesn’t and isn’t treated, it can lead to pre-cancerous cells which may develop into cervical cancer.”