The British Medical Journal (BMJ) has published an economic evaluation that aimed to assess the cost effectiveness of routine vaccination of 12 year old schoolgirls against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
The Department of Health recently announced that the national programme contract had been awarded to Cervarix® with details of the price remaining confidential. This evaluation estimates that Cervarix® should be costing between £13 and £21 per dose less that the quadrivalent alternative Gardasil®.
There is continued debate over the choice of vaccine (Times and Guardian) accusing the government of selecting an inferior vaccine in order to save money. This article in the BMJ is likely to further inflame the debate and may generate patient questions in primary care.
Action: Clinicians should be aware of the current situation and ongoing debate regarding HPV vaccination.