<![CDATA[HPV 2020: the personal perspective of Dr. Pier Luigi Lopalco]]>

Which are the main challenges facing adolescent vaccination programs?

Experience with adolescent vaccination programs is more limited if compared with childhood vaccination. On top of this, it seems that building up on positive experiences from the past is not common practice.

Do you think school-based vaccination programs have more impact than healthcare centered strategies?

This is exactly what I meant in my reply to the previous question. In Italy we had very good experience with HBV adolescent vaccination in the schools during the 90’s. For some strange reason today it is very hard to start vaccination programs in the schools in Italy. Definitively, my answer is YES.

Which are the main determinants of HPV vaccines hesitancy in Europe?

Rumors on vaccine safety had some impact on vaccine acceptance. Another obstacle is the age of vaccination, often perceived as too early for a vaccine addressing a sexually transmitted disease.

How can vaccine hesitancy be addressed?

Education, education, education. In many European countries improving resources dedicated to vaccination can also help. In fact a more aggressive vaccination offer, supported by social marketing and communication campaign, has proven to be effective in increasing vaccine uptake.

Should HPV vaccination be mandatory?

In Italy we had good results reinforcing vaccine mandates for childhood vaccination. But the success of mandatory vaccination policies are very much related to the national context and culture. One-size-fits-all does not work.

Do you have any special message for IPVC2020?

Vaccines work and save lives. This is the message that is already clear among the experts but less evident to the public and, unfortunately, sometimes to decision makers. As public health experts we should work together to break any barrier to HPV vaccination reinforcing communication and education and working out innovative solutions for an effective vaccination offer.

DISCLOSURE PL has received during the last two years research grants and personal fees to participate to advisory boards from GSK, MSD, Pfizer, Sanofi and Seqirus. ]]>

Pier Luigi Lopalco, MD
Professor of Hygiene, Dept. of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery - University of Pisa, Italy.
pierluigi.lopalco@unipi.it

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