Issues

Herrero and colleagues demonstrate that Cervarix, a bivalent ASO4-adjuvanted HPV16/18 vaccine, is over 90% effective in preventing persistent infection in HPV-negative women among a large Costa Rican population with a high incidence of cervical cancer, but its efficacy diminishes with age and sexual experience. One of the first public HPV vaccine trials, this study underscores the importance of early HPV vaccination in cervical cancer prevention, particularly in developing countries. For details, please see the article by Herrero and colleagues on page 408.