Abstract

Anogenital infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted disease that can result in genital warts, anogenital intraepithelial neoplasia or, occasionally, anogenital carcinoma.1^,2 HPV infection is now recognised as a prerequisite for the development of cervical cancer.1 Therefore, the availability of vaccines against HPV and the introduction of national HPV vaccination programmes in several countries, including the UK, represent an important new development in cancer prevention strategies. Here we review the two licensed HPV vaccines and discuss the implications of the UK programme.