Effectiveness Proven Again: HPV Vaccination Only Free Until the End of the Year

The offer runs until June 30, 2026, but the first vaccination must be administered this year for the second dose, scheduled six months later, to also be free. "Everyone who is not yet 30 years old can still use December to get vaccinated for free. The vaccination not only protects oneself but also others," recommended ÖVIH President Renée Gallo-Daniel. From the ninth to the 21st birthday, the HPV vaccination remains free of charge.

Early HPV Vaccination More Effective

The benefit of the HPV vaccination is particularly strong when children and adolescents are vaccinated early, ideally by the age of 16 before the onset of sexual activity, according to the Cochrane analyses. Over 225 non-randomized studies with more than 132 million individuals show that HPV vaccination programs significantly reduce the incidence of invasive cervical cancer. With vaccination by age 16, the risk was even about 80 percent lower. The HPV vaccination also likely reduces severe precursors of cervical cancer.

In the long term, there was also a reduction in anogenital warts by about 53 percent, with vaccination by age 16 by around 70 percent. The strong effectiveness in 15 to 25-year-olds and higher immune responses in younger individuals support an as early as possible vaccination time. High vaccination rates among boys also lead to protection against warts and HPV-related cancers in men, according to the studies. Vaccine reactions are mild and local, with no signs of increased serious side effects. "The global results are impressively consistent," emphasized University Professor Elmar Joura, an expert in gynecologic oncology and HPV at MedUni Vienna, in the release.

Information and vaccination offers by federal states

(APA/Red.)

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