THE brand of vaccine used for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination programme in the Island is to change in September.
The vaccination programme was introduced three years ago and was offered to all girls in the 12 to 18 age group.
The vaccine currently being used is called Cervarix and offers protection against cervical cancer.
From September this year a different brand of vaccine called Gardasil, which offers protection against cervical cancer and genital warts, will be used.
Director of Public Health Dr Parameswaran Kishore said: "Our initial focus was to introduce a vaccine which will offer protection against cervical cancer and Cervarix was the most cost effective option.
"However the manufacturers of the other brand of vaccine, Gardasil, have recently been able to offer their vaccine at a competitive price which meant that this vaccine can be used for vaccination of girls aged 12 to 13 from September 2012.
"Gardasil will offer equal protection against cervical cancer but will also protect against two of the common strains of virus causing genital warts."
Health Protection Nurse and manager of the IoM Vaccination Programme Jacqui Dunn said: "We have had a great success with the HPV vaccination programme with uptake receiving 90 per cent and we would like to continue to achieve such high rates of uptake.
"Gardasil will be administered exactly as the previous vaccine, Cervarix."
