Another 300000 Teens To Get Cervarix Protection

Extending the UK’s human papillomavirus immunization programme, over 300000 more girls aged between 17 and 18 will now be vaccinated against the HPV virus, a leading cause of cervical cancerdefine, Dawn Primarolo, the Public Health Minister announced.

The move comes in response to allegations accusing the Department of Health of making money through the controversial decision that chose the vaccine Cervarix over Gardasil. An estimated £18.6m were saved by controversial vaccine choice, critics analyze.

"We sought to deflect the criticism yesterday by extending the programme using the money saved," Primarolo announced.

In addition to the routine vaccination programme focusing girls aged 12 to 12, scheduled to commence this September, a two-year catch-up programme will get underway in the school year 2009-10, the authorities disclosed. This will offer vaccinations to girls aged between 15 and 18.

Earlier, the decision to choose Cervarix, a bivalent vaccine over Merck & Co Inc.’s Gardasil - which also protects against genital warts, had triggered a row among health groups.

The HPV strains of type 6 and type 11 together account for 70 percent of cervical cancerdefine cases, while types 16 and 18 are responsible for causing about 90 percent of genital growths.

Ironically, while Gardasil offers protection against four HPV strains and genital warts, the chosen vaccine – Cervarix – offers protection against two HPV strains alone.

"Cervarix is the sub-optimal vaccine. The programme will leave a lot of people open to catch vaginal and anal warts which are a misery and cost quite a lot of money to treat," worried Lisa Power, of the Terrence Higgins Trust.

"If it wasn't cheaper it would be an insane decision," Power remarked.

Responding to critics Primarolo cites, “Our policy to vaccinate girls against cervical cancer is one of the biggest public health campaigns in recent history. It will mean that up to 400 girls' lives will be saved each year.”

"By choosing the right vaccine we have been able to make savings which means we can extend the programme to 17 and 18 year olds. This could save an additional 400 lives," she emphasized.

Moreover, Cervarix topped the charts and won the deal only after rigorous assessments, she highlighted.

Human Papilloma Virus

The most common sexually transmitted virus, Human Papilloma Virus, the carriers of this fatal virus generally pass it on to their female partners through unprotected sexual activity.

In women, the HPV infection is the leading cause of developing cervical and uterine cancers.