UK: DH awards contract for HPV vaccine

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DH awards contract for HPV vaccine

Wednesday 18th June 2008

The contract to provide the vaccine against HPV (human papillomavirus), was

today awarded by the Department of Health to pharmaceutical company

GlaxoKline for their vaccine " Cervarix " .

An adjudication was carried out to carefully examine the vaccines offered

against a wide range of criteria such as their scientific qualities and

cost-effectiveness. Cervarix won over its main rival, Gardasil, manufactured

by Sanofi Pasteur MSD.

The contract is to supply the vaccine that protects against cervical cancer

and precancerous cell changes in the cervix caused by HPV viruses. Cervarix

guards against the two strains of the HPV virus which cause 70% of cases of

cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in women worldwide.

The vaccine will be made available to girls aged 12-13 years old from

September of this year and from September 2009 the vaccine will also be

delivered to girls up to 18 years in a two year catch-up programme.

Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said: " This vaccine could save the lives of

400 women a year. It is a an exciting opportunity to immunise young girls

against the future risk of cancer, the impact of which will be felt by women

and their families for generations to come. "

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) which provides

independent expert advice to ministers on vaccination, examined a wide range

of evidence before recommending in June 2007 that a HPV vaccination

programme be routinely introduced for 12-13 year old girls. The vaccination

programme also has support from Cancer Research UK and the cervical cancer

charity Jo's Trust.

According to a government press release the cost of the vaccine is

commercially confidential. It will be purchased by the Department of Health

who will supply it free of charge to the NHS. The Department of Health will

provide an additional £8.9m to PCTs - just over £55k for an average sized

PCT - to support the implementation of the programme. This funding will pay

for, for example, nurses to give the vaccine.

However, the manufacturer of Gardasil, which protects against four strains

of the HPV virus, has warned that the tender decision made by the UK

authorities choosing a two-type HPV vaccine for their immunisation campaign

over their four-type vaccine, will be selling UK school girls short.

" We regret that school girls in the UK, unlike most of their peers in

Western Europe, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, will not benefit

from the unmatched cervical cancer protection and additional benefits

provided by the world's leading HPV vaccine, Gardasil " , commented Dr

Kitchin, UK Medical Director of Sanofi Pasteur MSD.