Concern as cancer-preventing vaccine rates fall

It’s a life-saving shot that prevents nearly all cases of a deadly cancer — but too many Victorian teens are skipping it.

HPV vaccines prevent cervical cancer, but more and more teenagers are missing their dose.

One in seven teenagers have missed their dose of a cancer preventing vaccine, leaving them at risk of a deadly — but almost entirely avoidable — disease.

Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus, a common infection, but Victoria and Australia’s HPV immunisation rates have declined three years in a row.

The concerning figures have today prompted a warning we cannot be “complacent”, as Cancer Council Victoria urged parents to ensure their child was not exposed to a cancer others were protected from.

Executive Kate Broun said if numbers – while still high for now – continued dropping at their current rates, Australia could struggle to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health concern by 2035 as predicted, or maintain the status in the years after.

The vaccine has typically been given at school for free in year seven, so a lockdown drop was expected.

But the “concerning” fall saw numbers not just fail to return to pre-pandemic levels but actually decrease further in 2022.

13.2 per cent of 15-year-old Victorian girls in 2022 had missed their first dose, up from 12.4 per cent the year prior and 11.8 per cent in 2020.

Even more — 15.8 per cent — of 15-year-old boys in 2022 had not had their dose, up from 14.1 and 13.8 in the prior years, the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance data shows.

HPV is also responsible for between 25 and 90 per cent of various genital, anal, throat, mouth and tonsil cancers in both sexes and the vaccine now requires one dose.

The drops puts us further away each year from our 90 per cent coverage 2030 target, one of three important measures — alongside screening and early treatment — to reach cervical cancer elimination (less than four cases per 100,000 women).

Ms Broun said while coverage in the 80s was “probably okay” because Australia also vaccinates boys, further drops could put us “off-track or behind”.

“We don’t want to see that become a trend and … all of a sudden we’re going to find ourselves in the seventies.

“That definitely isn’t where we want to be.

“Within a couple of years, we could find ourselves having to work harder to achieve elimination.”

Last year, it was announced Australia was on track to be the first country to reach elimination.

Ms Broun said it would also be “devastating” if we met countrywide targets, but our disadvantaged communities did not and continued suffering from preventable cancers.

“For me that’s not a success,” she said.

She said there were likely many factors — including the pandemic — behind the vaccine decline and urged parents to check their records ahead of school’s immunisation drives.

“The HPV vaccine works best when given at a younger age and before sexual activity

commences, so it’s important that children are receiving it when they are due and if they have missed it, that they can catch up as soon as possible,” she said.

“Worldwide, over 350 million doses of the vaccine have been given.”

Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the vaccine was safe and effective.

Education Minister Ben Carroll said teenagers can make up missed doses at school, local council immunisation services, GPs or select pharmacies.