Global studies have shown that vaccinating young children can prevent more than 90% of related cancers in adulthood, making HPV vaccination a crucial public health measure…
Monaco’s Health Minister, Christophe Robino, is determined to boost vaccination rates among adolescents against the human papillomavirus (HPV), with a goal to vaccinate 80% of boys and girls aged 11 to 14. This initiative is part of a broader effort to prevent future cancers linked to the virus, which can lead to cervical cancer in women and other forms of cancer in men, including those affecting the ENT region, skin, and digestive tract.
The ultimate aim, according to Robino, is to eliminate certain types of cancer in Monaco within the next twenty years, providing future generations with a safer and healthier environment.
The Principality launched its first school-based vaccination campaign last year, achieving a participation rate of 30-40%. Although this was seen as a positive start, Robino emphasizes the need for increased education and awareness to encourage more parents to have their children vaccinated. “It’s not about forcing people,” he explains, “but about ensuring they understand that HPV is a chronic infection that can lie dormant for decades before leading to cancer.”
The new campaign, which will begin soon, offers free vaccinations for adolescents, with an option to catch up until the age of 19. The Health Minister is keen to highlight the improved safety and efficacy of modern vaccines, which are now highly purified and rigorously tested. “Vaccination is not without risk—no treatment is. But it remains the best tool we have to prevent certain cancers,” says Dr. Robino.