HPV vaccination in schools aims to prevent cancer
Lisa Vogel studied departmental journalism with a focus on medicine and biosciences at Ansbach University and deepened her journalistic knowledge in the master's degree in multimedia information and communication. This was followed by a traineeship in the editorial team. Since September 2020 she has been writing as a freelance journalist for
More posts by Lisa Vogel All content is checked by medical journalists.Vaccination against the HP virus can protect against cancer. But for this, the vaccination should already be carried out in school age. A nationwide vaccination campaign is now intended to improve the vaccination rate for boys and girls.
The Rhine-Neckar region is showing the way: since 2015, 13 schools have had the opportunity to take part in vaccination days. The aim of the campaign: The vaccination rate against the potentially cancer-causing HP viruses is to be increased.
Model for all of Germany
In the joint model project of the Rhein-Neckar health network and the German Cancer Foundation, over 400 girls in fourth grade have already been vaccinated against human papilloma viruses (HPV). This can reduce the risk of cervical cancer, as well as other types of cancer.
On the basis of this model, the cancer foundation now wants to establish a nationwide alliance for an organized HPV school vaccination program. Teachers and parents are informed about vaccinations and illnesses at events and can then have the offspring vaccinated at school.
"Less than half is protected"
The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute has been recommending vaccinations for girls since 2007 - and since this summer also for boys. But it is still too seldom accepted: “Not even half of the 17-year-old girls are completely protected,” says Prof. Jürgen Riemann from the German Cancer Foundation in an interview with the Ärztezeitung.
HPV vaccination: "Reduce the number of cancer cases to zero"
The vaccination should be given before the first sexual intercourse and protects against infection with human papilloma viruses. These are considered to be the cause of cervical, penile, anal and throat cancer.
The viruses are transmitted through the mucous membranes - almost every sexually active person comes into contact with them in the course of life. "With the vaccination, the number of these cancers in Germany could be reduced to almost zero," says Prof. Jürgen Riemann. Every year around 4,600 women are currently diagnosed with cervical cancer and around 1,600 die as a result.
Success in cancer prevention
In other countries, the HPV vaccination is already an integral part of the vaccination calendar. As a result, the number of cancer diagnoses has decreased. In Australia, the vaccination rate is around 73 percent. Six years later, there were 50 percent fewer abnormal smears from the cervix. The spread of genital warts also decreased.
In June 2018, the STIKO also advocated vaccination for boys. You should also have the vaccination between the ages of nine and 14 - but in any case before the first sexual intercourse. About 600 anal, 250 penile and 750 oral cavity tumors occur in men each year. These diseases are also associated with the human papillomavirus.
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