ANP
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This year, more than 2 million teenagers and young adults born between 1996 and 2003 will receive an invitation for a free vaccination against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). This virus is highly contagious and can cause cancer of the mouth and throat, penis, anus, vagina, labia and cervix.
Research shows that young adults are not or hardly familiar with the virus and therefore do not recognize its dangers. Only one in five of them say the chance of an HPV infection is likely, while four in five actually become infected. A two-part vaccination protects against these types of cancer.
Incidentally, not every infection leads to cancer. About 80 to 90 percent of people are infected with HPV at least once in their lives. They often do not notice this and the body usually clears the infection itself within 1 to 2 years. Sometimes that does not happen and then cancer can develop after 10 to 15 years
Catching up
In the Netherlands, children are offered the vaccination in the year they turn 10. In 2010, RIVM started the vaccination campaign against HPV and in 2022 boys could also be vaccinated for the first time. More than 1 million teenagers have now been vaccinated in the Netherlands.
A large group of teenagers and young adults has therefore never been vaccinated against the virus. The World Health Organization WHO has advised to vaccinate this group as well. With this, the WHO hopes to eradicate cervical cancer. This year, RIVM is giving them the opportunity to do so for free.