DoH Press Release

DoH Q&A leaflet

Since the launch of Gardasil in 2006 (and subsequently Cervarix) there has been a lot of interest in these products which vaccinate against human papilomavirus.

It has taken the NHS Joint Committee on Vaccination & Immunisation and the Department of Health sometime to appraise the evidence about the introduction of widespread vaccination against HPV, but on 26/10/2007 the following press release was made by the DoH. They announced:

• From September 2008 girls aged 12-13 would be routinely vaccinated
• From Autumn 2009, there would be a catch up programme for girls up to 18 years old

Importantly, the JCVI decided it was not cost effective:
• to vaccination boys
• to vaccination women outside the above groups.

Patients can still elect to have the vaccine privately, but each vaccination cost around £125 to purchase from a pharmacy and three vaccinations are required at 0, 2 and six months (therefore totalling around £375).

A question and answer leaflet from the DoH is available here.

The DoH have launched further information on the Immunisations website.