The Department of Health has chosen the bivalent vaccine Cervarix™ for its national vaccination programme in England. Although this will protect against human papilloma virus (HPV) 16 and 18, which cause 70% of cervical cancers, it will offer no protection against genital warts. In 2006, there were 83 745 new diagnoses of genital warts (first episode) and 44 655 recurrent episodes in patients attending departments of genitourinary medicine in England, Wales, and Scotland.1 In addition to the financial implications of treating patients with anogenital warts, estimated at £22.4 million in 2003, the psychological impact of the disease should not be underestimated.
展开▼
