Facebook May Be Leading the HPV Opt-Out Trend

Opting-out from the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has become a big problem in Denmark.

Since 2014, HPV vaccination rates among 12-year-old Danish girls has decreased from a high 90 percent coverage to below 40 percent in 2017.

Several research studies published in the media discuss various negative symptoms, such as pain and tiredness, in girls who had the vaccine.

But, in reality, these reported symptoms may not have a causal relationship to the vaccine, reported the World Health Organization (WHO).

To better understand why so many parents were postponing the HPV vaccination of their daughters, the Danish Health Authority conducted an analysis in 2016.

This study reported that nearly all parents who doubted whether to vaccinate their daughters had heard stories about the suspected side-effects, primarily through traditional media and online media, such as Facebook.

“Even though we were putting out information about the importance of the HPV vaccines, most parents felt they were lacking the information they needed to really make informed decisions on whether to vaccinate or not,” says Bolette Søborg, a senior medical consultant at the Danish Medical Authority.

A year later, the Danish Health Authority, the Danish Cancer Society, and the Danish Medical Association launched the campaign, “Stop HPV, Stop Cervical Cancer,” to help build confidence in the vaccine and remind people that the risk of getting cervical cancer far outweighs the risk of adverse vaccine events.

“Much of the debate about the HPV vaccine takes place on Facebook, and this is where many parents get their information,” says Louise Hougaard Jakobsen, a consultant at the Danish Cancer Society.

The insights from this study reveal that less than 9 months into the campaign, uptake in the number of vaccines is already increasing.

During 2017, twice as many young women, nearly 31,000, have started the HPV vaccination program, as compared to just over 15,000 in 2016.

The WHO recommends the vaccination for all girls aged 9-14 years, as it is the most cost-effective public health measure against cervical cancer, in addition to screening.

Each year, an estimated 530,000 women globally contract the disease and 266,000 die from it. Studies show that countries that introduced the vaccine have seen up to 90% reductions in HPV infections in teenage girls and young women.

Sustaining or rebuilding public trust in vaccines is an ongoing objective of immunization programs around the world.

Through a WHO-initiated peer group started two years ago, Denmark is sharing lessons learned about HPV with countries, such as Ireland, the Netherlands, and Austria.

“Several European countries have experienced declines in HPV vaccine uptake or have struggled with reaching high coverage. The WHO learning platform is the best way for these countries to support each other,” says Katrine Bach Habersaat, Technical Officer, Vaccine-preventable Disease and Immunization in the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

“Documenting and learning from Denmark’s experience is not only important to address the HPV crisis; it is critical to ensuring the success of new vaccines introduced in the future.”

In the USA, originally recommended for young women, HPV vaccination is now recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for most teenagers.

During 2016, the CDC approved a two-dose schedule for adolescents under age 15 instead of the traditional three-dose schedule. Teens starting at age 15 or later still need three doses.

The Gardasil 9 vaccine immunizes against nine genotypes of HPV known to cause cervical cancer, as well as vulvar, vaginal, and anal cancers and genital warts caused by HPV.

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides HPV vaccine prices for general information.

And vaccine discounts can be found here.

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects, says the CDC. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the FDA or CDC.