Abstract
Sirs: The continuous, costly stream of adolescents with genital warts (who have never heard of Gardasil®, the quadrivalent human papillomavirus [HPV] vaccination) into our clinics emphasizes to us the lack of public awareness about the HPV vaccines. We conducted a study into the knowledge and opinion of a body of consultants in a district general hospital about the HPV vaccination programme. Out of 168 consultants, 27 consultants, from a wide range of specialties, responded to our questionnaire. Reasons for the low response rate may have included lack of confidence about the subject and not having daughters who may be affected by the vaccination programme. Almost a quarter of the consultants were not aware of the current HPV vaccination programme (Figure 1). Obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatrics had the highest number of specialists aware of the programme. If a group of highly educated medical professionals have not been given adequate information about this national programme, we should not be surprised by a lack of awareness among the general population. When provided with information about the vaccines, 78% would have insisted that their daughters were vaccinated with Gardasil® and 93% would have been prepared to purchase Gardasil® for their daughters. One consultant commented ‘it was a completely ridiculous and short-sighted decision. I am hoping (that) by the time my daughters are 12 it will have been reversed – otherwise I will be getting my cheque book out’. Will this predispose towards a two-tier health-care system, where genital warts continue to remain a problem for teenage girls without the knowledge and resources to help themselves? Only 37% of consultants were aware that Gardasil® is licensed for prescription. In fact, the Department of Health states that Gardasil® can be prescribed if clinically indicated (on an FP10 prescription). Some general practitioners are unaware of this, and many have expressed disappointment at the lack of national advice on the vaccines. 1 One consultant pointed out ‘GPs will not prescribe on the whole unless a health practitioner requests it for their own family use, i.e. we got it but three neighbours were refused in our practice’.
The number of consultants who were aware of the vaccination programme
In conclusion, a vaccine that may not provide the full range of potential social, health and economic advantages 2 is currently being used in our national programme. However, public awareness, even among well-educated medical professionals, is sorely lacking. The vaccination contract is due for renewal: the UK needs to join most of Europe, Canada, Australia and the USA who have chosen to protect their young women with the quadrivalent vaccine. Better education of the general population is also needed so that the majority can add their voices to the debate.