European Health Council adopts recommendation aimed at eliminating vaccine-preventable cancers

5 months ago 12

The Council has adopted a recommendation on vaccine-preventable cancers, aiming to slash deaths from cervical cancer and eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.

“Every year in the EU, almost 14,000 lives are lost to cervical cancer and over 16,000 new Hepatitis B infections are reported,” said the European Health Commissioner, Stella Kyriakides.

“With our collective target to vaccinate 90% of girls against HPV and increase Hepatitis B vaccinations, we have a historic opportunity to eliminate cervical cancer and other cancers caused by these viruses,” she added.

Vaccination has proved safe and highly successful. In a study of the UK’s vaccination programme against HPV, rates of cervical cancer fell by 90% for women in their 20s, who were offered vaccination at the age of 12 to 13.

The EU’s Beating Cancer Plan set a target of vaccinating 90% of girls by 2030, and increasing significantly the coverage for boys.

The recommendation was proposed by the European Commission at the start of February, and adopted at Friday’s European Health Council (21 June).

“The recommendation focused on increasing and monitoring the uptake of vaccination against HPV and Hepatitis B viruses (HBV), with the necessary attention to actual social and other inequalities and inequities,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health, Frank Vandenbroucke.

An important part of the recommendation is tackling misinformation and disinformation on vaccines. Vandenbroucke said this requires improvements in health literacy.

EU states can use the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, and the EU4Health Programme, to support vaccination programmes, plus activities to communicate and promote them. Under the EU4Health Programme there is €20 million set aside for joint action, assisting in the implementation of the recommendation.

Electronic vaccination registries

Vaccines Europe’s Executive Director, Sibilia Quilici, described the goal as ambitious and achievable, “It’s crucial to build on the progress already made and continue working together on this throughout the new mandate.”

Vaccines Europe highlights the importance of up-to-date vaccination registries. The EU will give support to member states to develop and upgrade registries in conformity with its data protection regulation.

[Edited by Rajnish Singh]