New vaccines´ development: vaccine against human papillomavirus. Criteria for its incorporation to the systematic inmunization schedule

Abstract In the last two decades, a better knowledge of immune system and interactions between pathogens and human guest, involved in disease development, has proved to be crucial in the research of new vaccines. A good example of this has been the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Thus, high oncogenic risk types of HPV are involved in the development of cervix cancer. In those cases, a primary prevention strategy for HPV infection using prophylactic vaccines, plays an important role in prevention of future cervix cancer. The imminent marketing of HPV vaccine in our country, and its consequent inclusion in the Spanish Immunization Schedule, will depend on the results of the analysis of all impact factors in health burden. We primary care paediatricians are the final prescribers of vaccines, so we should know which criteria have been evaluated by Sanitary Authorities. This paper analyzes each one of these criteria for HPV vaccine. Key words: Human papillomavirus, Vaccine, Cervical cancer, Immunization programs, Public health.