Thanks to vaccination, recommended from the age of 11, we can prevent up to 90% of HPV infections that cause cancer.
To promote access to the vaccine, the President of the Republic announced last February the implementation of a vaccination campaign for all 5th grade students in France which will be deployed in the coming weeks in all middle schools from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Led by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Health Agency and the 3 Rectorates of the region, this large-scale operation aims to promote access to the vaccine for as many children as possible. Fully supported by the State, this campaign also contributes to reducing inequalities in health and prevention.
Vaccination coverage to be strengthened
In France, vaccination coverage for young people remains insufficient in relation to the protection it offers for their future health. In 2022, it was only 41.5%¹ among girls and 8.5%² among boys. In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, it reaches 41.6% for girls and 8.2% for boys³. A rate well below the national objective of 80% included in the ten-year strategy to combat cancer by 2030.
[1] Vaccination coverage for young girls in 2022. Complete schedule at age 16. Public health figures France, April 2023.
[2] In Dec. 2019, the High Authority for Health announced the recommendation to extend HPV vaccination to boys. This has been effective since Jan. 1, 2021. Vaccination coverage for young boys in 2022. Complete schedule at 16 years old. SPF figures, April 2023.
[3] BSP_vaccination_ARA_avril_2023.pdf
The organization of the campaign
Two doses, at least 6 months apart, are necessary for HPV vaccination. So, the first dose will be offered between the month ofOctober and December 2023 in order to enable the realization of the second dose between April and June 2024.
In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, these are more than 100,000 5th grade students from 833 public and private middle schools under contract from the region who will be able to participate in this vaccination campaign.
They are the professionals of 12 vaccination centers, authorized, who will deploy mobile teams within educational establishments. All public colleges will be mobilized, as well as private colleges which have requested it.
Students who have parental authorization and their health record or vaccination record will be able to benefit from this vaccination free of charge.
An effective and safe vaccination to protect children against HPV cancers
Effectiveness is observed in many countries where vaccination coverage among young adults is high. This is particularly the case in Australia where there is a reduction in cancers and precancerous lesions of the cervix and anogenital warts in women and men.
The vaccine prevents 9 types of HPV, 7 of which are high risk or potentially oncogenic. It is indicated against precancerous lesions and/or cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina and anus; benign but very disabling and painful lesions that appear on the skin and mucous membranes of the anus and genital area (anogenital warts or condyloma).
Key figures for human papillomavirus infections
200 types of HPV dont 12 carcinogens,
80% of men and women will be exposed during their lifetime,
6,400 new cases of cancer are caused by HPV in France every year,
100% of cervical cancers are due to HPV-related infections,
25% of cancers occur in men,
Vaccination prevents up to 90% of HPV infections at the origin of cancers, For more than 10 years, more than 6 million doses administered in France and 300 million worldwide.
“This HPV vaccination campaign is unprecedented and we hope that it will convince all parents of the importance of this protection for the health of their children. It is a collective commitment and it is a real preventive action made possible by numerous actors whose commitment and professionalism I salute in advance. » Cécile Courrèges, general director of ARS Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
“All college staff are mobilizing alongside health staff to support this campaign by contributing both to informing families and to organizing vaccination in schools.” Olivier Dugrip, Rector of the Auvergne Rhône Alpes academic region, Rector of the Lyon academy
“To be as effective as possible, vaccination must be done before the first intercourse. As part of this national campaign, if the first dose is given in October 2023, the second will have to be given in April 2024. This vaccine is very well tolerated; we can mainly note local effects such as pain or redness at the injection site”. Dr Anne-Sophie Ronnaux-Baron, head of the regional health monitoring center at ARS Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Find all the information on the website of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Health Agency:
https://www.auvergne-rhone-alpes.ars.sante.fr/les-infections-contre-les-papillomavirus-humains-hpv
https://www.auvergne-rhone-alpes.ars.sante.fr/campagne-de-vaccination-hpv-dans-les-colleges-en-auvergne-rhone-alpes
Contacts presse
ARS Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
04 27 86 55 55 – [email protected]
Rectorate of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes academic region
Erwan Paulet – [email protected]
2023-09-26 21:24:51
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