Human papillomavirus vaccination in the European Union/European Economic Area and globally: a moral dilemma.
Euro Surveill
; 26(50)2021 Dec.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1631277
ABSTRACT
While many European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries recently expanded human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to boys, HPV vaccine supply is currently limited for girls in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) that are severely affected by HPV.Globally, about 50% of countries have introduced HPV vaccination. Some LMIC with high burden of cervical cancer have not yet introduced HPV vaccination, or are reaching suboptimal vaccination coverage. While WHO issued a call for cervical cancer elimination in 2018, a global shortage of HPV vaccines is currently predicted to last at least until 2024.We reviewed national policies of EU/EEA countries and recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunisation to discuss current challenges and dose-sparing options. Several EU/EEA countries have extended HPV vaccination to boys and the European Cancer Organisation has issued a resolution for elimination of all HPV-associated cancers in both sexes. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control concluded in its 2020 guidance that cost-effectiveness of extending routine vaccination to boys depends on several context-specific factors. The extension of HPV vaccination to boys in EU/EEA countries may affect global availability of vaccines. Temporary dose-sparing options could be considered during the COVID-19 post-pandemic period.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms
/
Papillomavirus Infections
/
Alphapapillomavirus
/
Papillomavirus Vaccines
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Prognostic study
Topics:
Vaccines
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal subject:
Communicable Diseases
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
1560-7917.ES.2021.26.50.2001659
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