Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination

Anne Milton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to issue guidance to primary care trusts on (a) the delivery of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccinations and (b) the consent required for administering the HPV vaccination; whether he plans to recommend a school-based delivery programme; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo
Guidance on the implementation of the human papilloma virus (HPV) immunisation programme will be issued to the national health service and others through various information channels such as the Chief Medical Officer Letters, Chief Executives Bulletin, the guide “Immunisation against infectious disease” (the ‘Green Book’), websites and a range of NHS immunisation leaflets when all the appropriate information becomes available. A national conference for primary care trusts (PCTs) was held in October on the HPV vaccination programme. A second conference is planned, and a range of supporting resources is being made available on the www.immunisation.nhs.uk website as they are developed.

The principles for consent for HPV vaccination are the same as those for other childhood vaccination, and are covered in Chapter 2 of the “Immunisation against Infectious Disease”.

Introduction of a HPV immunisation programme to routinely vaccinate girls aged 12 to 13 years of age against cervical cancer will start in September 2008 and a two-year catch up campaign will start in autumn 2009, for girls up to 18 years. PCTs will plan how to deliver the vaccination programme locally, and the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that HPV vaccination would be most efficiently delivered through schools.

Anne Milton
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether parental consent will be necessary for the administration of the human papilloma virus vaccine to children; and what guidance his Department has given on the steps to be taken should a child request the vaccine and the parent withhold consent.

Dawn Primarolo
The principles for consent for human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination are the same as those for other childhood vaccination, and are covered in chapter 2 of the “Immunisation against Infectious Disease”. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library and is also available on the Department’s website at:

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_079917

A range of information materials to support the HPV vaccination programme are being prepared and will be distributed in due course.