One in five lower secondary starters has had no HPV vaccine

One in five pupils starting lower secondary school has not received any HPV vaccination, Yle reported, citing the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Among children born in 2013, just under 70% of girls and 60% of boys have received the recommended two doses. Finland aims to achieve 90% vaccination coverage.

The vaccine protects against human papillomavirus, which causes nearly all cervical cancers and several other types of cancer. THL says one reason some children remain unvaccinated is that their parents have insufficient information about the vaccine’s role in preventing cancer.