Since 2010, vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) have been included in the child vaccination program. Through the school health care, the vaccine is offered to all girls in grades 5–6.

Now statistics from the Public Health Authority show that the coverage rate of girls born in 2004 or 2005 is about 80 percent, that is, eight out of ten girls are vaccinated.

- The actual coverage ratio is probably a little higher, because there are some shortcomings in the reporting. The fact that there are so many is positive and we strive for more people to protect themselves against cancer, says Tiia Lepp, epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency.

Good and efficient

One reason why people no longer let their children vaccinate may be a concern for more serious side effects, but with over 200 million doses given around the world, there is no evidence that they exist, says Tiia Lepp. On the contrary, experience shows that the number of side effects is few and relatively mild.

- This is a good and effective vaccine that protects against cancer, says Tiia Lepp.

Since it takes time to develop cancer, there has been no hard evidence for this claim in the past, but at the beginning of the year came the first preliminary results.

- This is a Finnish study comparing over 9,000 who were vaccinated in the early 2000s with twice as many unvaccinated people. In the vaccinated group, there was not a single HPV-related cancer, while there were ten cancer cases in the other group, says Tiia Lepp.

Protects unprotected

Last fall, the Public Health Authority proposed that boys should also receive vaccines against HPV. Partly because men can carry HPV and carry the infection on, and partly because men can also suffer from HPV-related cancer, such as penile cancer or cancer of the throat or anal opening. The general risk of contracting these cancers is small, although the number of people with illness has increased in recent years. The increase is associated with more and more infections by HPV.

If even boys get vaccine, around 120 cancer cases per year can be avoided, the authority believes.

- Even unvaccinated girls are protected if boys are vaccinated. Our analysis shows that it would be socially economically sustainable to also vaccinate boys, says Tiia Lepp.

The proposal is now on a referral basis and in the end it is the government that makes the decision.