Concerns over choice of HPV vaccine

Professor Richard Parish, RSH chief executive, commented: “The health benefits of vaccination will be considerable, but they could have been much greater. Not everyday is there an opportunity to drastically reduce the second most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK and also make an impact on the long-term financial costs to the NHS.”

He pointed out that unlike Gardasil, Cervarix does not protect against genital warts and the decision is therefore a “missed opportunity”. To minimise further lost opportunities, the Society urges the DH to extend NHS provision to young women up to and into their twenties.

Consideration should also be given to vaccinating boys. This would enhance the population benefits of HPV vaccination and potentially protect boys from other HPV related cancers.