BMJ  2008;336:241 (2 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.39472.537697.DB

News

European centre urges vaccination of girls against HPV

Rory Watson

1 Brussels

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

European governments are being urged to take preventive action against cervical cancer by organising nationwide vaccination programmes for young girls against the human papillomavirus (HPV).

The advice from the Stockholm based European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDPC) is contained in its latest scientific report, which was released at the European Cervical Cancer Summit in Brussels last week. However, it insists that this is no substitute for screening programmes.

Johan Giesecke, the ECDPC’s chief scientist, said, "Vaccinating young adolescent girls against HPV is likely to reduce the number of women who develop cervical cancer, provided that cervical cancer screening programmes are maintained."

Several countries, notably the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Austria, have already launched vaccination programmes to protect against genital HPV infections, which can be acquired with the onset of sexual activity and are the primary cause of cervical cancer. Other countries are considering similar action.

The . . . [Full text of this article]


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