Health Canada has approved a vaccine that protects against the human papilloma virus, or HPV, which is responsible for most cases of cervical cancer, the vaccine's manufacturer announced Tuesday.

HPV is said to infect half of all sexually active women between ages 18 and 22 in North America. In most women, the virus clears up on its own, but if the infection persists, it can lead to cervical cancer.

Gardasil is the first vaccine that can prevent cervical cancer.
Gardasil is the first vaccine that can prevent cervical cancer.
(CBC)
"Until now, we have only been able to react to the effects of HPV in women," said Dr. Guylaine Lefebvre, president-elect of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. "Now we are talking about preventing most of the serious diseases caused by HPV."

This year in Canada, nearly 1,400 new cases of cervical cancer are expected and approximately 390 women will die from the disease.

Montreal-based Merck Frosst Canada Ltd. said its vaccine, called Gardasil, is approved for females between nine and 26 years of age to prevent:

  • Cervical cancer.
  • Vulvar cancer.
  • Vaginal cancer.
  • Precancerous lesions.
  • Genital warts caused by HPV.

The vaccine will be available in Canada by the end of August through Canadian doctors and pharmacists.

U.S. regulators approved the vaccine in June, at a cost of $360 US for a course of three treatments.

Ideally, the vaccine would be given to children before they become sexually active and face exposure to the virus.

After the U.S. announcement, Canada's advisory committee on immunization started discussing whether to employ Gardasil in school-based vaccine programs.

"The issues now are not medicine and science," said Dr. Simon Sutcliffe, who heads the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control. "They are pracitical, logistical and ethical issues about population vaccination."

Since the vaccine doesn't prevent infection from all strains of HPV, women would still need to get a Pap test to screen for the virus.

It will be up to the provinces to decide who should receive the vaccine, how to deliver it, and how to pay for it.