Introducing human papillomavirus vaccines - questions remain

Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and HPV-associated cervical and other anogenital cancers are significant public health problems. HPV 16 and HPV 18 are responsible for approximately 70% of all invasive cervical cancers worldwide. The first prophylactic HPV virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine against HPV types 6/11/16/18 was licensed in 2006 for girls and women aged 9-26 years. The second prophylactic HPV vaccine against HPV types 16 and 18 has been licensed this year. These vaccines are almost 100% effective in preventing infection and high-grade precancer associated with the HPV types included in the vaccine. The vaccines are well tolerated, safe, and highly immunogenic when given in three doses within 6 months. Efficacy of the vaccine against external vulvar and HPV-related vaginal lesions is also high. Even though the vaccine is highly effective against high-grade cervical, vaginal, or vulvar precancers, this only applies to women unexposed to these HPV types and only to high-grade intraepithelial lesions caused by these HPV types. Therefore, it is important to understand that the population impact of the vaccines will be much lower than vaccinating naive populations. Implementing HPV vaccine is a great opportunity but also a great challenge. However, mandatory HPV vaccination may raise many questions, and more answers are needed.