The value of vaccination and the need to achieve high vaccination coverage in Greece for the HPV virus was underlined by experts during a Press Conference on the occasion of the European Vaccination Week. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant delays in routine vaccinations of children and adolescents, and in particular, significant reductions in the administration of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.

The scientists who participated in the event organized by the biopharmaceutical company MSD Greece under the auspices of the Hellenic HPV Society and the Panhellenic Federation of Freelance Pediatricians welcomed the initiative of the Ministry of Health to extend the reimbursement of vaccination to the ages of 15-18 until the end of 2024 , to make the goal of eliminating the HPV vaccination deficit more realistic. HPV vaccination is recommended for boys and girls aged 9-11 years.

The three “A’s” of vaccines

All available vaccines are developed on the 3 ‘A’s’, i.e. Safety (not to cause adverse effects), Immunogenicity (to be capable of inducing an immune response, when administered to humans) and Efficacy (the immune response following vaccination to be sufficient to to prevent serious illness)”, explained Athanasios Michos, Professor of Pediatrics-Infectiology, First Pediatric Clinic of the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA), “Agia Sophia” Children’s Hospital.

The contribution of vaccination to the eradication of HPV

The goal of the global strategy of the World Health Organization until 2030 for the elimination of Cervical Cancer (CRC) as a matter of public health, was recalled by Theodoros Agorastos, Professor of Obstetrics-Gynecology, “Aristotle” School of Medicine, University of Thessaloniki, at the beginning of his speech , President of the Hellenic HPV Society. He stressed that to achieve this, “90% of girls have been vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15, 70% of women have had the relevant high-precision diagnostic tests at 35 and 45, and 90% of women diagnosed with PCM receive treatment and care”.

Mr Agorastos presented data from Sweden, the UK and the US where 88% fewer cervical cancers were seen in women who had the HPV vaccine.

“If we do not cover the vaccination deficit a significant number of girls/women will in the long run be

vulnerable to HPV complications, the morbidity will increase in the coming years, as well as the cost of care of HPV complications”, emphasized Ilias Goundas, Value and Patients Access Manager of MSD Greece, Postdoctoral Researcher, Medical School of the University of Cyprus.

“We still have a way to go if we want to achieve the eradication of HPV, and organized screening programs, vaccination registries and organized screening programs contribute to this direction,” said Konstantinos Daloukas, Pediatrician and President of the Panhellenic Federation of Independent Pediatricians.

A significant number of oropharyngeal cancers are caused by HPV

Amanda Psyrri, Professor of Oncology Pathology EKPA, Director of the 2nd Pre-Educational Pathology Clinic, “Attikon” University General Hospital, Committee President of the European Society of Medical Oncology, in her presentation on “How is oropharyngeal cancer related to HPV?” Presentation of the Orpheas study of oropharyngeal cancer in men,” said the research focused on analyzing samples collected from nine referral hospitals. “The study aims to include 150 patients with oropharyngeal cancer. In this interim analysis, the research team focused on 74 patients, with a median age of 60.5 years. 57 were male and the majority of participants (66) were About 60% of oropharyngeal cancer cases were associated with HPV (mainly type 16 and sporadically, except for one case, other types also covered by the vaccine), while the virus-positive patients were mainly young men with no history of smoking”, according to Mrs. Psirri. Finally, the Professor of Pathological Oncology, EKPA noted that “a significant number of oropharyngeal cancer cases are due to HPV, according to the preliminary results of the Orpheas study. So, a potential benefit may arise from universal vaccination (of men and women) against HPV in Greece regarding the prevention of the compared type of cancer”.

Zoe Grammatoglou, President and founding member of the Association of Cancer Patients, Volunteers, Friends and Doctors K.E.F.I., spoke about the importance of vaccination and the contribution of Patient Associations to the eradication of HPV and the benefit of eradication strategies. Athens.