French President Emmanuel Macron has declared the launch of a "widespread" free vaccination campaign at universities in order to eradicate the HPV.
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| French President Emmanuel Macron |
Emmanuel Macron takes the difficult path. On Tuesday, February 28, the President of the Republic announced the launch of a "generalized" free vaccination campaign in colleges for 5th graders in order to eradicate the papillomavirus, which is responsible for over 6,000 new instances of cancer each year.
"We are going to generalize at the start of the next academic year for the 5th year," remarked the President of the Republic during a visit with students at a Jarnac institution (Charente). "This helps avoid many cancers," Emmanuel Macron remarked. The disclosures come only four days before World Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Disease Awareness Day on October 4.
These infections are quite common and, for the most part, harmless, but they can persist and lead to cancer: HPVs are responsible for over 1,000 fatalities each year from cervical cancers, 1,500 cancers of the ENT sphere, 1,500 cancers of the anus, 200 cancers of the vulva or vagina, and a few hundred cancers of the penis.
Certain malignancies, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), are completely preventable by screening and immunization. In the end of 2021, 45.8% of 15-year-old girls and just 6% of males of the same age had gotten a dose of vaccine, whereas the ten-year cancer control strategy 2021-2030 targets for a target of 80% here at seven years old.
Vaccination is now advised for females and boys aged 11 to 14 years. It can also be provided as a catch-up until the age of 19, and for males who have sex with men until the age of 26.
In Australia, owing to vaccination, the rate of HPV infection among young women aged 18-24 reduced from 22.7% in 2005-2007 to 1.5% in 2015. Cervical cancer is expected to be eradicated over the next 15 years, according to projections.
HPV Vaccination in France
According to Public Health France data, 45.8% of 15-year-old girls had gotten one dosage, and 37.4% of 16-year-old girls had received a complete two-dose regimen by the end of 2021. 6% of males had gotten a dosage by the age of 15.
"Vaccination coverage has grown, because in 2018, 29% of 15-year-old girls received a dose of vaccine, rising to 40.7% in 2020," says Sophie Vaux, program coordinator for vaccination coverage monitoring at Santé publique France. "Yet, it falls well short of the targets of the 2014-2019 cancer plan, which put the coverage target at 60%, or the most recent cancer plan (2021-2030), which aspires for 80% coverage in 2030." "France also has one of the lowest vaccine coverage rates in Europe," she adds.
In Finland, Sweden, Hungary, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom, more than 70% of adolescent females get immunized.
"Many factors explain the poor vaccination coverage in France," says Sophie Vaux. The first is the vaccine's price, which ranges between 95 and 116 euros. If it is paid at 65% by Health Insurance and the other portion is covered by supplementary mutual insurance, the cost advance or lack of mutual insurance might slow down.
A recent research by Public Health France found that vaccination rates were particularly low among the poorest groups. In France, unlike in other countries, vaccination against HPV infections is referred to as "opportunistic," since the teenager or his parents initiate the appointment with the doctor.
"As has been found in Australia, Canada, Finland, Norway, and Scotland, school medicine support might enhance vaccine coverage," says Sophie Vaux. A two-year school-based trial in the Grand Est yielded positive outcomes among 5th graders, with the immunization rate increasing from 9% to 27% the first year and from 14% to 31% the second.