Challenges of implementing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination policy

In affluent countries, cervical screening programmes are reducing deaths from cervical cancer, but screening is labour intensive and needs meticulous attention to quality to ensure benefits exceed harms.1 2 3 Vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) provide a new approach to preventing cervical cancer, particularly in countries with a high incidence of the disease and no or poorly developed screening programmes. In the United Kingdom, universal HPV vaccination of girls aged 12-13 will be introduced subject to an independent review of its costs and benefits. Implementation will be complex, and careful planning and education for the public, participants, and health service staff is essential. The challenge for the UK and other countries with established cervical screening programmes is to switch to new and affordable programmes of cancer control that will do more good and less harm than existing ones.