Schools to switch to a two-dose HPV vaccination protocol

The dosing of the papillomavirus vaccine (HPV), which prevents cervical cancer, under the National Immunisation Programme will change from a three-dose vaccination protocol to a two-dose protocol in August 2016. The change applies to children under the age of 15 who have not yet been vaccinated or who have only received one dose.

Studies show that two doses give girls aged 10–14 years an equally strong immunity as three doses for girls aged 15 and up. This means that girls over 15 years of age still require three doses of the vaccine.

The two-dose protocol is recommended by the WHO and already used in nearly all countries across Europe. The benefits of reducing the number of shots include reducing the workload of school health care providers and mitigating the negative side effects of vaccination, such as localised pain at the injection site.

Source:

• THL (in Finnish)