✓ Vaccinating children against the Papilloma Virus: the campaign "Did you book right?"

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Vaccinate children against the Papilloma Virus

La Covid pandemic 19 it has had serious repercussions not only for those who have been infected or who have experienced isolation and quarantines, but also for all those who would have had to undergo medical examinations and visits, vaccinations and checks. This is the case of the many young people who, precisely because of the pandemic, had to postpone the vaccination against papilloma virus in 2022 and who are at risk of contracting a nHPV eoplasia. To give a boost to the vaccination campaign against the papilloma virus, MSD, with the authorization of the Ministry of Health, has started the campaign "YOU HAVE BOOKED, ARE YOU?": a social plan and a new information portal - Haiprenotatovero.com - to sensitize families to protect their children.

The papilloma virus and vaccination

According to the data just published by the Ministry of Health about 700 boys and girls in the country are at risk of contracting the infection from Papillomavirus (HPV, Human Papillomavirus): vaccination coverage in girls born in 2007 is 58% and in boys 46% and much lower for the 2008 cohort (30% per complete cycle).

Even before the pandemic, in Del Paese, the coverage of vaccination against HPV in adolescents was well below the optimal threshold of 95% set by the National Vaccine Prevention Plan but the pandemic caused a further decline in adolescent vaccination . Every year in our country almost 6.500 cases of cancer are attributable to HPV: 2.365 to the uterine cervix, 1.900 to the oropharynx, 1.200 to the vulva, 500 to the penis, 300 to the anus and 200 to the vagina.

The pandemic has led to serious delays in vaccination programs which need to be made up for as soon as possible.

Read also: Human papilloma virus: 32 questions and answers to know everything about HPV

The awareness campaign "Did you book, right?"

The campaign involves intense digital activity using the main channels (the Facebook and Instagram accounts of MSD Salute), with the aim of raising awareness of the possibility that every parent has, by informing themselves correctly, of protecting their adolescent children from dangerous diseases. such as HPV-related cancers.

In addition to the wide range of content available on the various channels, a new information portal will also be available - www.haiprenotatovero.com - full of useful and immediate information on HPV-related diseases and prevention opportunities, including the possibility of consulting maps. with the offers of anti-HPV vaccination in the various Regions of the Paesene.

Giancarlo Icardi, Director of the School of Specialization in Hygiene and Medicine of the University of Genoa, former coordinator of the vaccines and vaccination policies group of the Del Paesena Society of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine (SITI), explains that Papillomavirus infection is the most frequent sexually transmitted infection:

"It is estimated that 4 out of 5 people are infected with the virus in the course of life, both men and women and the absence of symptoms favors its spread. In about 80% of cases, HPV infection starts asymptomatically , because the body has the ability to eliminate the virus. In other cases, the immune system fails to defeat it, with serious consequences such as cancer. Generally, the time between infection and the onset of precancerous lesions is of about 5 years, while the latency for the onset of cervical cancer can be decades. We have a very powerful weapon at our disposal: vaccination is able to prevent up to almost 90% of all HPV-related cancers in men and women".

In National Vaccine Prevention Plan it is highlighted how, on the basis of new and important scientific evidence, public health today aims to achieve vaccination coverage ≥ 95% in girls and boys in the twelfth year of life for maximum protection from all diseases HPV related directly preventable by vaccination.

Why vaccinate kids

Il Vaccine is indicated for the active immunization of individuals from 9 years of age against HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58 and against the following Human Papilloma virus diseases (Human Papilloma Virus, HPV):

Pre-cancerous lesions and cancers affecting the cervix, vulva, vagina and anus caused by the HPV subtypes contained in the vaccine.
Genital warts (Condyloma acuminata) caused by specific types of HPV.

"Papillomavirus is the second largest cancer pathogen in the world - he explains Saverio Cinieri, Director of Medical Oncology and Breast Unit of the 'Perrino' Hospital of Brindisi and President-elect of AIOM (Association of the Paesena of Medical Oncology) -. Although most infections regress spontaneously, if they persist and become chronic, the infection can evolve over time into precancerous lesions and cancer. Vaccination is the most important weapon to defeat HPV-caused neoplasms. Our scientific society supports the objectives established by the 'Call to action' promoted by the World Health Organization and by European Cancer Organization as well as from the 'Europe's Beating Cancer Plan' of the European Commission: to erase cervical cancer (and all related Hpv) by 2030. The actions to be implemented are precisely to vaccinate at least 90% of the target population and ensure that at least 90% of the target population have access to free cervical screenings. Australia by 2035 will become the first country in the world to eliminate HPV-caused cancers, Canada will reach the target in 2040 ".

The vaccine is free

"As foreseen byState-Regions Agreement of 2007, the anti-HPV vaccination is offered free of charge and actively to girls in the twelfth year of life (eleven years old) in all Regions and Autonomous Provinces starting from 2007-2008 - underlines Giorgio Conforti, Head of the Vaccines Area of the Paesena Federation of Pediatricians (FIMP) -. In many regions, free admission is maintained up to the age of 18 and is also extended to other categories. In the National Vaccine Prevention Plan 2022-2022 and in the new Essential Levels of Assistance, free vaccination during the twelfth year of age is also provided for males, starting from the 2006 cohort.

Getting vaccinated is really simple. Two doses at 0 and 6 months are given for individuals up to 14 years of age, or three doses at 0, 2 and 6 months from 15 years. It is proved that the during 25 they are at increased risk of getting the infection. Vaccination against the Papillomavirus is especially effective if carried out before the start of sexual activity, because it induces a better immune response before any infection with the virus. We urge the parents of adolescent boys and girls not to neglect the appointments of the vaccination calendar, because they can save lives ".

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