HPV vaccine uptake: Three European nations reach 90% among girls

The ECDC report says Iceland, Portugal and Norway reached 90% HPV vaccination among girls by age 15, and the agency reported decreased cervical cancer incidence among vaccinated women; the ECDC also launched a dashboard to display vaccination coverage across the EU.

This week, during European Immunization Week, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) highlighted a new report marking 15 years of HPV vaccination in Europe. The report notes that all European Union countries now have HPV vaccination recommendations for both adolescent girls and boys. It also reports that three countries—Iceland, Portugal and Norway—reached the 2024 target of 90% HPV vaccination among girls by age 15. Since 2020, the ECDC said European countries have reported a decreased incidence of cervical cancer among vaccinated women. Key findings: - Iceland, Portugal and Norway reached the 2024 target of 90% HPV vaccination among girls by the age of 15, according to the report. - The ECDC reports a decreased incidence of cervical cancer among vaccinated women across European countries since 2020. - A cited Swedish study reported that vaccination of girls before age 17 reduced the incidence of cervical cancer by 88%. - The ECDC announced a new dashboard that will display HPV vaccination coverage and coverage for other vaccine-preventable infections across the European Union. Summary: The report highlights sustained protection against cervical cancer among vaccinated cohorts and describes progress that the ECDC says makes elimination of cervical cancer in the EU/EEA increasingly achievable. The agency has launched a dashboard to provide a transparent, up-to-date overview of vaccination coverage; further developments are undetermined at this time.