The state must move beyond recently announced measures to accelerate HPV vaccination, several physician and patient representatives warned Monday. The eradication of cancers related to the papillomavirus (HPV) is "a French battle that remains to be fought", summarize the signatories of an appeal that brings together, among others, the National Academy of Medicine, the main learned societies concerned (oncology, pediatrics ...) and patient associations.
HPV infections, mostly sexually transmitted, are generally not serious, but they can persist and lead to cancer: HPV is responsible for 6,000 cancers per year in France, half of which involve the cervix. Vaccination in adolescence prevents most of these cancers. But in France, unlike many other countries (United Kingdom, Spain, Australia...), it remains very insufficient: just over 40% of 16-year-old girls have been vaccinated and not even 10% of boys.
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School-based vaccination is "essential"
»The State, through President Emmanuel Macron, certainly announced at the beginning of the year a widespread vaccination campaign in middle schools, among fifth grade students. But it remains to be seen how this measure will translate on the ground, when school medicine is severely under-resourced and many schools are already unable to meet their obligations in this area.
The announcements at the beginning of the year mark "a strong political will", acknowledge the signatories of the appeal on Monday. However, there is "urgency to gather all the necessary means for the deployment" of the vaccination campaign in colleges, they continue, also noting that this measure can not be sufficient on its own. "School-based vaccination will be an indispensable but insufficient element in isolation," they insisted, referring to a first experiment conducted in eastern France. "This shows that 20% of parents have consented to the vaccination of their child and only 16% of students have been able to be effectively vaccinated," notes the call, referring to the need for a "massive information campaign", with caregivers and the general public.
Beyond the campaign in colleges, the signatories are calling for broader measures, such as being able to be vaccinated free of charge up to 26 years for all. Currently, this vaccination is only possible for men who have sex with men.
