Girls as young as 12 will be vaccinated against the virus that causes cervical cancer from next September in a programme that aims to save 400 lives a year, the Government has said.

Girls aged 12 to 13 will be vaccinated against the sexually transmitted infection human papilloma virus (HPV). The project will cost as much as £100 million a year in England alone. A catch-up campaign for girls up to the age of 18, costing as much as £200 million a year, will start in 2009.

HPV causes an estimated 70 per cent of cases of cervical cancer, which kills more than 1,000 women each year. The vaccine, which will not be compulsory, is expected to revolutionise the approach to preventing the disease. It costs about £300 for a full course and will be given in three doses over a six-month period.

The announcement yesterday, which was welcomed by health campaigners, comes after the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that the vaccine be given to all 12-year-old girls before they become sexually active. The JCVI has said that a catch-up programme for women is unlikely to be cost-effective but could benefit some individuals.

HPV is extremely common, with 80 per cent of women contracting some form of it by the age of 50. It is most virulent among sexually active females aged 18 to 28. In most people the infection will clear up on its own, but some will have continued infection and it is possible to be reinfected.

Any girls currently aged 16 or more will not be eligible for the national programme but may be able to have the vaccine privately or on the NHS. Some experts wanted boys to get the jab but it was decided that this would not be cost-effective.

Primary care trusts will plan how to deliver the vaccination programme at a local level, although the JCVI recommends that it is given in schools.There are two vaccines available: Cervarix, made by GlaxoSmithKline, and Gardasil, made by Merck. The companies will have to compete for the lucrative contract after the Government said that only one is likely to be chosen. The vaccines are derived from the strains of the HPV virus that are most likely to cause cancer and, in the case of Gardasil, genital warts.

Each year more than 2,700 British women develop cervical cancer and about 200,000 a year have pre-cancerous changes to their cervix that are picked up through smear tests. The Department of Health said that smear testing would continue after the vaccine was introduced, partly because the vaccine does not protect against all HPV types that may cause cervical cancer.

David Salisbury, the National Director of Immunisation, said: “The benefits of introducing this vaccine into the national immunisation programme will be felt by women and their families for generations to come.” He said that the clinical trials on Gardasil and Cervarix had shown “amazing results”.

Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, added: “Now, more than ever before, we need to make the NHS a service that prevents ill health and prioritises keeping people well.” He said that an extra 400 lives could be saved each year through the vaccine.

Professor Salisbury said that the national vaccination programme would also reduce the fear that is associated with undergoing smear tests and receiving the results. “There’s huge anxiety associated, clearly, with the process of cervical screening. That anxiety is increased hugely if you find you get a letter saying your test was not clear and that it requires further investigation,” he said.

Ann Keen, a health minister, had earlier defended the cost of the vaccine. Addressing suggestions of whether the move could encourage young girls into promiscuity, Ms Keen said: “This is about preventing cancer. It is not about sexual activity and promoting it. On discussions with parents and right across the spectrum of medicine and nursing, everybody feels very positive about this.”

Pamela Morton, the director of Jo’s Trust, a cervical cancer charity, said that she was delighted about the vaccination. “It is a fantastic breakthrough in the prevention of cervical cancer which impacts on the lives of young women and older women,” she said. She added that she was heartened by the Government’s pledge to extend vaccination up to the age of 18.

Harpal Kumar, the chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “This is an exciting step towards preventing cervical cancer. While the vaccine has the potential to prevent many cases of the disease, the impact of a vaccination programme won’t be felt for many years.”

The Welsh Assembly confirmed that it would follow the same programme as that available in England. The Scottish Executive said that the vaccination and catch-up programme would start next September.

Explore Health

• Expert Advice

• Health Features

• Mental Health

• Alternative Medicine

• Child Health

• Health Club