HPV vaccination campaign to go ahead

The UK Department of Health has confirmed that girls aged between 12 and 13 will be routinely vaccinated in an annual human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation programme from next September. There will also be a two-year catch-up campaign, starting in autumn 2009, for girls up to 18 years.

The decision is directly in line with the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which reviewed the issue in June.

This vaccination is available in Malta at a cost of approximately LM180 for the whole course.