The vaccine offers immunity to the strains of a virus which cause 70 percent of cases. It protects against two strains of human papillomavirus.
The vaccine will be given to 12- and 13-year-olds beginning in September.
A large number of health campaigners say the Department of Health should have chosen a rival version, Gardasil, that also protects against genital warts.
However the Department of Health maintains that it has chosen the right vaccine based on the criteria of cost-effectiveness and health concerns.
Gardasil is used by the majority of vaccination programmes worldwide and it protects against two other strains, which can cause genital warts. The vaccine is sold in Europe by Sanofi Pasteur MSD, a joint venture between Sanofi-Aventis and the vaccine's developer, Merck & Co.
HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer across the world. The vaccine is recommended for 11- and 12 year-old girls. It is also recommended for girls and women age 13 through 26 who have not yet been vaccinated or completed the vaccine series.
