Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: the vaccination campaign against papillomavirus extended to all middle school students

HPV, or human papillomavirus infections, have already affected or will affect nearly 80% of the population. It is the most common form of STI and “highly transmissible” In France. It can be contracted during sexual intercourse or through the mucous membranes and according to the Regional Health Agency (ARS), there are today 200 types of HPV, including 12 potentially carcinogenic. In France, the number of cancers developed by HPV is estimated at 6,400 (3,000 cases in women, including 1,000 deaths). The ARS also specifies that in 60% of cases, the infection is contracted at the start of sexual life.

Faced with this public health issue, the ARS, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and National Education took the problem head on to ensure a major awareness campaign last year in colleges. The report was presented this Tuesday, November 12 during a press point, also an opportunity to provide more information on the next vaccination campaign launched in February 2025.

Read also: Papillomavirus: the Region launches a prevention campaign in high schools

Good results and a future campaign “ambitious”

Commissioned by the former Minister of Health, Aurélien Rousseau, the vaccination campaign launched among middle school students in 5th grade^e enabled the first dose vaccination of 11,500 children, then “nearly 10,000 children” in the second dose. A gap which can be explained by the time required between each injection, specifies Doctor Anne-Sophie Ronnaux-Barron, head of the health monitoring center at the ARS. A goal “tenuous” which allowed vaccination coverage to “strongly progress” in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. At the end of 2023, the first dose of vaccine concerned 54% of girls (+7 points compared to 2022) and 40% of boys (+15 points). As a reminder, HPV vaccination was launched in 2007 for girls and in 2021 for boys.

Results “satisfactory” encouraging the ARS to revise its ambitions upwards for the new 2024/2025 campaign. But also to make it evolve. The vaccination campaign will now concern all students aged 11 to 14, i.e. 305,500 students among the 608 public establishments and just over 100,000 students among the 225 private establishments in the region. Unlike the previous year, it will be launched in February 2025 with the injection of the first dose in order to give “more flexibility” to the device. The second dose will be given to students who wish it the following year (within the regulatory 13 months) to allow the ARS to also focus on catch-up vaccinations (diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, measles, etc.). ). “We’re taking our time more, which doesn’t stop us from being more offensive”also indicates Aymeric Bogey, director of public health.

Read also: Papillomavirus: a vaccination campaign in colleges in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Until November 25 to register

Parents who wish to vaccinate their children next year have until November 25 to complete the paper form. A dematerialized collection of parental authorization is also available on the ARS website. “We hope to raise awareness among as many families and children as possible about this new vaccination campaign”ap, finally enthused Doctor Françoise Imler-Weber, medical technical advisor to the rector of the Academy of Lyon.

Today, the vaccine is the most effective way to fight against HPV with a protection rate of 90% against papillomaviruses which cause cancer. 300 million doses are also distributed around the world each year, including 6 million in France.