Action grants to support actions to improve access to human papillomavirus vaccination

Topic description

ExpectedOutcome:

POLICY CONTEXT

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer. The primary cause of cervical cancer is a persistent infection of the genital tract by a high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) type. HPV is also associated with other cancers, in both the male and female population.

In May 2018, the World Health Organisation (WHO) called for the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem, and set a target of 90% coverage of HPV vaccination in girls by 2030 in the Global Strategy Towards the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem drafted in 2019. In the Union, HPV vaccination has been gradually introduced in national immunisation programmes since 2007, but policies and vaccination coverage rates vary across countries.

One of the flagship initiatives of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan is to vaccinate at least 90% of the Union target population of girls and to significantly increase the vaccination of boys by 2030, in order to eliminate cervical cancer and other cancers caused by HPV such as head-and neck and anal cancers. To support this initiative, the Commission will propose a Council recommendation on vaccine-preventable cancers to help address cancer risks associated with HPV infection and other infections.

This action supports the implementation of a Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan flagship initiative and meets the following EU4Health Programme general objective of improving and fostering health in the Union (Article 3, point (a)) through the specific objectives in Article 4, points (a) and (j) of Regulation (EU) 2021/522.

OBJECTIVES
The aim of the action is to contribute to the implementation of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, which aims to support Member States’ efforts to extend the roll-out of routine HPV vaccination of girls and boys to eliminate cervical cancer and other cancers caused by HPV in the coming decade

DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITIES TO BE FUNDED UNDER THIS TOPIC

The action will support civil society organisations, including non-governmental organisations, to complement the Member States’ actions according to national and regional needs related to HPV vaccination policies and programmes. The activities which will be funded will include targeted meetings, workshops, and other initiatives to sharing information with national and regional authorities of Member States, which need to start large-scale HPV vaccination campaigns, with the main objective to receive support through the provision of expertise, best practices, and guidelines covering the planning and roll-out of vaccination campaigns.

These activities may include training (including training of trainers) on how to successfully communicate with parents and patients on HPV vaccination, how to ensure the provision of consistent messages to the public, and the provision of concrete examples on how to support vaccination in other Member States. Activities may include recommendations for the ‘bundling’ of all adolescent vaccines, including the HPV vaccine, by establishing a policy to check patients’ immunisation status at every visit and to always recommend and administer vaccines to those in need. Actions will be designed on the already available evidence-based understanding of behavioural determinants of vaccination acceptance for HPV vaccination.

EXPECTED RESULTS AND IMPACT

The action will contribute to the design, planning and roll-out of an HPV vaccination campaign at Member State level.

The expected impact is the improvement of the vaccination coverage of the target population, and a reduction in the incidence and mortality of cervical and other cancers caused by HPV.

SPECIFIC ACTION-LEVEL INDICATORS FOR REPORTING PURPOSES

Applicants must include data on the following indicators in their regular reporting activities in case of award, and must be prepared to include additional specific indicators where needed:

• Number of training courses organised.
• Number of training of trainers organised.
• Number of people trained.
• Satisfaction rate / feedback of trainees.
• Satisfaction rate / feedback of national/regional authorities responsible for human papillomavirus vaccination programmes.
• Number of trainees having introduced practice at work after the training (to be considered when the number of trainees is limited).
• Number of practices taken up by national and/or regional authorities to complement the national and/or regional human papillomavirus vaccination programmes.
• Number of types of material produced for disseminating expertise, best practices, and guidelines (e.g. studies, reports, handbooks, brochures…).
• Number of countries, organisations and people outreached by actions.