Commentary on opinion pieces re Australian human papillomavirus vaccine policy

Abstract

Two vaccines targeting HPV infection are available in Australia - the quadrivalent vaccine Gardasil® (types 6, 11, 16 and 18) and the bivalent vaccine Cervarix® (16, 18 only). Although it seems obvious that four types are better than two, if prevention of cancer is the primary aim of the Australian immunisation program, duration of immune protection could potentially counterbalance this advantage. Pending the availability of higher valency HPV vaccines from both manufacturers, it is possible that mixed schedules may prove optimal, but have not yet been evaluated. © CSIRO 2010.