The number of HPV vaccinations, which protect against multiple types of cancer, tripled this July compared to the same month last year, Austria’s health minister has announced.
Around 22,500 people received vaccinations against human papillomaviruses (HPV) in July, a significant increase from 7,500 the previous year.
“This is the only vaccination that protects against cancer,” Health Minister Johannes Rauch stated on Sunday.
The vaccinations have been available free of charge to all individuals in Austria under the age of 30 since 1 July.
In the 21 to 30 age group, uptake has increased tenfold, with 17,500 of the 22,500 vaccinated people in July falling within this range.
“From personal experience, I know the immense suffering a cancer diagnosis can cause. That’s why expanding the HPV vaccination programme was so important to me,” Rauch said. He urged young adults to take advantage of the vaccination: “This way, we can eradicate cervical cancer in Austria.”
Alongside 12,300 women, over 5,000 men have also received the vaccine. The Health Ministry warned that men are not only at risk of developing cancer caused by HPV but can also transmit the virus to their sexual partners. Privately, the vaccination would cost at least €600.
HPV is widespread, with at least 80% of all men and women likely to be infected at some point in their lives.
The virus causes cervical cancer and other cancers in the throat, as well as in both female and male genital areas. In Austria, 400 to 500 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, with nearly half of them dying from the disease.