European Health Council adopts recommendation aimed at eliminating vaccine-preventable cancers Euractiv [Video]

The Council has adopted a recommendation on vaccine-preventable cancers, aiming to slash deaths from cervical cancer and eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.

“Every year in the EU, almost 14,000 lives are lost to cervical cancer and over 16,000 new Hepatitis B infections are reported,” said the European Health Commissioner, Stella Kyriakides.

“With our collective target to vaccinate 90% of girls against HPV and increase Hepatitis B vaccinations, we have a historic opportunity to eliminate cervical cancer and other cancers caused by these viruses,” she added.

Vaccination has proved safe and highly successful. In a study of the UK’s vaccination programme against HPV, rates of cervical cancer fell by 90%  for women in their 20s, who were offered vaccination at the age of 12 to 13. 

The EU’s Beating Cancer Plan set a target of vaccinating 90% of girls by 2030, and increasing significantly the coverage for boys. 

The recommendation was proposed by the European Commission at the start of February, and adopted at Friday’s European …