To protect young girls from the papillomavirus, the High Public Health Committee recommends advancing the vaccination age from 14 to 11 years. In December, specialists had launched an appeal in this direction.
“We need to advance the vaccination age of young girls against the human papillomavirus (HPV) to 11 years instead of 14 years now. We are the only country to recommend this vaccination so late. Both England and Germany, or Belgium do it around 10 years old. There are many good reasons to do this ”.
This appeal launched last December on why actor, Dr. Robert Cohen, pediatric infectious disease specialist and president of the Pediatric Infectious Pathology Group (GPIP) was heard. The High Council of Public Health (HCSP) has just followed the advice of two learned pediatric societies (GPIP and SFP) by officially recommending HPV vaccination for young girls at 11 years old. The evolution of the data and the low vaccination coverage have led the HCSP to revise its positions.
In the field, specialists are finding that vaccination against cervical cancer and other diseases caused by HPV viruses declined in 2010 and 2011. Vaccination coverage for one dose fell nearly four points in one year for girls from 39.4% in 2010 to 35.8 the following year. This low rate could compromise the obtaining of group immunity, believes the High Council
Why vaccinate from 11 years old? Experts advance several arguments. First, by vaccinating young girls around 11/12 years old, they hope to increase the number of adolescent girls vaccinated. At this age, they are generally more willing to comply with parental authority than at 16. Doctors also recognize that after a certain age, in adolescence, consultations are less frequent. In addition, at the age of 11, there is already a vaccination appointment recommended by the Technical Committee on Vaccinations (CTV), the Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio and Whooping cough booster, rather well followed by the population.
Listen to Dr Robert Cohen, pediatrician infectious disease specialist : ” You can do the vaccines at the same time, there are studies that have shown this. And we also know that even if we vaccinate early, the antibodies remain present in the body for quite a long time. “( Interview conducted on December 3, 2012)
Vaccinating earlier protects better : Immunogenicity data indicate that the immune response of adolescent girls between 10 and 14 years of age is greater than that obtained in those over 15 years of age. In addition, some studies show that two doses made around age 11 are just as immunogenic as three doses taken after age 15.
Finally, these specialists in favor of earlier vaccination against HPV put forward a final argument. By vaccinating from the age of 11, we would also limit certain anti-vaccine controversies, in particular those which link vaccination and the increase in the occurrence of certain autoimmune diseases.
Listen to Dr Robert Cohen : “Autoimmune diseases are naturally much more frequent after 15 years than at the beginning of adolescence. Suddenly, by vaccinating at age 11, the risk of coincidence between a vaccination and the appearance of one of these diseases is reduced. ” ( Interview conducted on December 3, 2012)
Declarations of interest
R. Cohen: clinical trials: as principal investigator, coordinator or principal investigator (Pfizer, GSK); conferences: invitations as speaker (Pfizer, GSK) and auditor (travel and accommodation costs taken into account by a company) (GSK); substantial contributions to the budget of an institution for which he is responsible (GSK , Pfizer, Sanofi-Pasteur MSD, Novartis).
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