There are different types of HPV which may cause cervical cancer or genital warts.
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Note: Breakspear does not offer cervical cancer vaccines. This webpages is strictly for information purposes.
There are different types of vaccines available that offer young women protection against the human papilloma virus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer.
HPV is the virus that causes cell changes that can lead to cervical cancer. It is a common virus that is mainly passed on during sexual intercourse.
Gardasil® is a non-infectious vaccine and was developed to prevent diseases caused by HPV types
6, 11, 16 and 18. This vaccine was developed as protection against cervical cancer and genital warts. For more information about GARDASIL, visit Merck & Co.
HPV types 16 and 18 may cause up approximately 70% of cases of cervical cancer.
The vaccine currently offered every year by the NHS to 12- to 13-year-old girls (school year 8) is called Cervarix® and only protects against HPV types 16 and 18. (Note:
A three-year catch-up programme was also started and offers the vaccine to older girls aged 13-18.) There is no current plan to offer the vaccine to those aged 18 and over as part of a national programme.
According to the NHS website, "Young women who are older than the catch up age groups will continue to be invited to be screened as part of our highly successful national cervical screening programme (women are invited to be screened from the age of 25)."
An important point to emphasise is that the cervical cancer vaccine is not a treatment for cervical cancer, high-grade cervical, vulvar and vaginal dysplastic lesions or genital warts, neither is it a substitute for routine cervical screenings. It is, however, the first vaccine developed to prevent cancer that is approved.
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