Originaltext Kommentar Nicola Low

One vaccine against HPV has already been licensed (Merck, Gardasil®) and the United States federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended it for use in girls aged 11-12 years to prevent cervical cancer. These vaccines are expensive (about $120 per course). The real challenges, however, relate to communication with the public about vaccinating girls against a sexually transmitted infection before they are sexually active, and achieving high enough coverage to interrupt HPV transmission in the population, as well as protecting individual women from cervical cancer. Globally, 80% of cases of cervical cancer occur in resource poor countries. Financing and distributing this vaccine where it is most needed will be even more difficult.

Nicola Low