Ahead of the meeting of the Health Ministers of the EU Member States planned for 21 June 2024, ESMO calls on EU decision-makers to take robust action to improve vaccination coverage against Human Papilloma Viruses (HPV) and the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV).
As part of the cancer prevention pillar of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the EU is currently developing a Council Recommendation on Vaccine-Preventable Cancers. This initiative will set out policy recommendations for the consideration of the EU Member States aimed at addressing the cancer risks related to HPV and HBV infections. Though being non-binding, the recommendations may shape how HPV and HBV vaccination policies will be developed and implemented at national level in the EU.
The Council Recommendation will be launched with the aim to help achieve the goal set in the Beating Cancer Plan to “Eliminate cancers caused by human papillomaviruses through EU support for Member States on vaccination with the aim to vaccinate at least 90% of the EU target population of girls and to significantly increase the vaccination of boys by 2030”.
ESMO has taken note of the proposal for the Council Recommendation published in January 2024. In anticipation of the June meeting of EU Health Ministers, and following review of the proposal by the ESMO Public Policy Committee, we call on EU decision-makers to:
- Adopt a gender-neutral approach towards HPV vaccination and ensure that the ambitious goal put forward in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan to “vaccinate at least 90% of the EU target population of girls” is also set for boys;
- Address misinformation on HPV and HBV vaccines;
- Support the establishment of a permanent financial framework at global level to support low- and middle-income countries with purchasing and producing HPV and HBV vaccines;
- Enable best-practice sharing on HPV and HBV vaccination with low- and middle-income countries;
- Ensure that the introduction and expansion of HPV and HBV vaccination programs is used for the optimisation of national cancer screening programmes;
- Secure a ring-fenced budget at the EU level of at least €1 billion to support the Member States with implementing the recommendations at the national level.
ESMO fully supports the efforts of the EU to drive back cancers caused by HPV and HBV infections and stands ready to engage with the EU legislators to support the development and implementation of a robust Council Recommendation on Vaccine-Preventable Cancers.
For further information, please contact: publicpolicy@esmo.org