What's in the web for family physicians - human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine

Alfred KY Tang 鄧權恩

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Recommendations and Report
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5602a1.htm

A detailed MMWR report (updated March 23, 2007) providing recommendations on the use of the quadrivalent vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) for HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, for the prevention of cervical cancer, cervical cancer precursors and anogenital warts. The recommendations were developed by CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The goal of this report is to provide recommendations on the quadrivalent HPV vaccine for clinicians and health care providers. The report outlined the epidemiology of HPV in the United States, enlisted recommendations for HPV vaccination, and described the characteristics of quadrivalent HPV vaccine.

Centres of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV-vaccine.htm

Besides the MMWR report, CDC has also put up several webpages on HPV vaccine. An online lecture, covering epidemiology of Human Papillomavirus, cervical cancer in the United States, efficacy of HPV Vaccine and recommendations, is available at http://www.cdc.gov/nip/ed/ciinc/hpv.htm. A webpage on HPV Vaccine Questions and Answers for the public is available at http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV-vaccine.htm and an information sheet for healthcare providers at http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/hpv-vacc-hcp-3-pages-hi-res.pdf. There is another public information site on "HPV Vaccine - What you need to know" at http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/VIS/vis-hpv.pdf which provides patient information on HPV vaccine issued by CDC.

Kaiser Family Foundation fact sheet
http://www.kff.org/womenshealth/upload/7602.pdf

The fact sheet provides background information on HPV and the vaccine. It highlights issues around financing, delivery, public and provider education, parental consent, and access to care. This new vaccine for young women and girls protects against infection by certain strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) has obtained approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The education website of the foundation (http://www.kaiseredu.org) also covers information on the basics of HPV and cervical cancer, the HPV Vaccine, its implementation and costs, public acceptability and discussion questions.

National Cancer Institute: HPV Vaccines for Cervical Cancer
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/hpv-vaccines

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and other institutions on the underlying causes of cervical cancer had led to discovery of the HPV vaccine. Several webpages on Human Papillomavirus Vaccines are available. Questions and Answers at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/risk/HPV-vaccine. A fact sheet about HPV vaccine for the prevention of infection of HPV, and a tutorial "Understanding Cancer Series: HPV Vaccine" is available at
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/understandingcancer/HPV-vaccine , which discusses HPV infection and the use of the vaccine to protect against future HPV infection.

The Department of Health: Fact Sheets on HPV Vaccine
http://www.cervicalscreening.gov.hk/common_files/resource/english/files/HPV%20vaccine%20factsheet_Professional_070320.pdf

The Department of Health has prepared a fact sheet on human papillovirus vaccine for healthcare professionals to keep them updated on the HPV vaccine. The fact sheet is available at the website for download. There is also a Chinese pamphlet on 「預防子宮頸癌的疫苗」intended for the public at
http://www.cervicalscreening.gov.hk/common_files/resource/tc_chi/files/HPVvaccine%20leaflet_151206(Web%20version).pdf. The website also hyperlinks to other resources on HPV vaccine, including the Questions and Answers on HPV vaccine put up by the O&G Department of University of Hong Kong at http://www.hku.hk/obsgyn/clinicalServ/lhww/HPVQ&A.htm and that of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at http://www.fda.gov/womens/getthefacts/hpv.html .

Bulletin of World Health Organization: Vaccinating against cervical cancer
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/85/2/07-020207/en/index.html

An article on HPV vaccine was published in the bulletin of World Health Organization in February 2007. The article covers issues like awareness, who should receive vaccination, education of healthcare providers, and challenges on countries in terms of cost.

American Cancer Society (ACS) Guideline for HPV Vaccine to Prevent Cervical Cancer and Its Precursors
http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/reprint/57/1/7.pdf

A 23-page guideline issued by the ACS on the use of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine was issued in February 2007. These recommendations are based on a formal review of the available evidence. It covers incidence, natural history of HPV infection, as well as safety, efficacy, duration of protection, age of vaccination of the vaccine, as well as a summary of policy and implementation issues. Its implications for screening are also discussed.