To the internal. HPV vaccination day on March 4th The Austrian Cancer Aid appeals to health politicians to make urgent changes to the HPV vaccination program.
Vienna (OTS) – “Unfortunately, 10 years after HPV vaccination was included in the free children’s vaccination program, the HPV vaccination coverage rate is still far behind expectations and the WHO’s goal of a 90% vaccination rate by 2030,” says Cancer Aid President Univ.- Prof. Dr. Paul Sevelda. Sevelda locates the reasons for this in the – unfortunate – widespread vaccine skepticism in Austria, an age limit for free vaccination and a non-uniform vaccination offer in the federal states. “We know that unfortunately we cannot reach those people who are fundamentally against vaccination with scientific facts about safety and effectiveness. “But all those who want to protect themselves against six types of cancer through the HPV vaccination must be offered low-threshold, uniform access to the vaccination throughout Austria,” said Sevelda. Krebshilfe sees an important and necessary step in the rapid expansion of the free vaccination program up to the 30th birthday.
Extension of the free HPV vaccination until the 30th birthday
According to the Austrian vaccination plan 2023/2024, the HPV vaccination is recommended from the 9th birthday to the 30th birthday. However, it is currently subject to a fee starting from your 21st birthday. That is why the Krebshilfe expressly supports the demand of Florian Boschek, chairman of the educational association “HPV vaccination now!” “More than a million young people between 21 and 30 have never had the opportunity to protect themselves against cancer and HPV for free. The HPV vaccination should not be a question of wallet. The question of whether I want to get vaccinated against HPV or pay my rent is not a fair one for Austria. Young people simply cannot afford immunization at over 600 euros. That’s why we’re calling for the free vaccination program to be extended until at least 30. Because health shouldn’t be unaffordable,” said Boschek. The petition of the association “HPV vaccination now!” has now found over 37,000 supporters, which calls for the HPV vaccination program in Austria to be expanded until at least 30.
An Austria-wide uniform vaccination program instead of nine different vaccination offers
Krebshilfe sees an urgent need to establish a uniform HPV vaccination offer throughout Austria. “Unfortunately, we currently have nine different vaccination offers – both in terms of the vaccination centers and the offers for individual age groups,” says Sevelda. “It is neither fair nor understandable why in some federal states there are vaccination offers for women and men from their 21st birthday and not in other federal states and why it should not be possible to define uniform vaccination centers throughout Austria. This would both improve information for the population and create easier and more equitable access to vaccination,” said Sevelda.
Cancer aid HPV campaign and information brochure
“We have been trying for years to provide legal guardians and young people with reliable information with our information brochure and in direct discussions so that they can make a decision for or against the HPV vaccination based on facts and not on the basis of myths and fakes News,” said Cancer Aid CEO Doris Kiefhaber. “We have also started a social media campaign in which doctors inform that they have of course vaccinated their child/children/grandchildren against HPV and ask the question: “You too?” There have already been more than one 50 doctors working oncology joined the campaign. “There is probably nothing more convincing than doctors working in oncology who vaccinate their own children,” says Kiefhaber. For more information about the HPV campaign by Krebshilfe, see https://unterleibskrebs-oesterreich.at/hpv/hpv-aktion/
The cancer aid brochure “HPV vaccination against cancer” was carried out in cooperation with the National Vaccination Board, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Austrian Medical Association, the Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists, Childhood Cancer International Europe and the medical societies for gynecological oncology, vaccinology, pediatrics, ENT, oncological gynecology, urology, hematology & medical oncology as well as by The “Petrol Ribbon” initiative against abdominal cancer was launched. The brochure is available free of charge at service@krebshilfe.net and as a download at www.krebshilfe.net/services/broschueren.
Questions & Contact:
Austrian Cancer Aid
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Paul Sevelda, President
Doris Kiefhaber, Managing Director
Tel. +43-676 502 43 72
kiefhaber@krebshilfe.net
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