Prophylactic human papillomavirus vaccines: Will they do their job?: Foresight

Abstract

Stanley M (University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK). Prophylactic HPV vaccines: will they do their job? (Foresight). J Intern Med 2010; 267: 251-259 The prophylactic HPV L1 virus like particle vaccines are highly efficacious preventing >98% of HPV 16/18 caused high grade cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN2/3) according to protocol group in phase III randomized clinical trials over approximately 4 years. Data from the trials together with postvaccine surveillance indicates that they have a good safety profile. As the current HPV vaccines include only two of the 15 oncogenic HPVs, they will not eliminate cervical cancer or the other HPV associated ano-genital diseases but could reduce, for example, the incidence of cervix cancer by up to 70-80%, if effectively delivered to adolescent females. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.