What are the latest developments in the HPV vaccine in Switzerland?

In Switzerland, HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination is a key strategy in preventing cancers linked to the virus, particularly cervical cancer. Recommendations are constantly evolving, expanding the target audience and improving vaccine formulations. As healthcare professionals, you play a crucial role in spreading these new recommendations and implementing effective strategies to raise awareness and vaccinate your patients. That’s why we invite you to explore the latest advancements in HPV vaccination and how to communicate them to your patients.

New Swiss recommendations for HPV and expanded target groups

Recent guidelines from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and the Federal Vaccination Commission (CFV) now recommend vaccination not only for girls but also for boys, ideally before the onset of sexual activity (ages 11 to 14). This expansion aims to strengthen herd immunity and reduce virus transmission. Thanks to various cantonal vaccination programs, HPV vaccination is covered for young girls and boys between the ages of 11 and 26.

Offering vaccination beyond age 27, especially for women

For women over 27, HPV vaccination may seem less of a priority or even unnecessary—but nothing could be further from the truth. According to data from MSD, it is essential to remember that HPV consists of numerous subtypes, and a previous infection does not protect against new strains. Moreover, 99% of cervical cancers are caused by HPV. Your role is to emphasize that, even beyond the recommended age for the primary vaccine, HPV vaccination remains a vital preventive measure: it can help reduce the risk of developing certain HPV-related cancers and provide long-term protection for patients who, for various reasons, were not vaccinated earlier.

Technological advances and enhanced effectiveness

The HPV vaccine has seen significant advancements. Since 2019, Gardasil 9® has been available in Switzerland, covering five more HPV types than its predecessor, Gardasil®. It is now the only HPV vaccine available in Switzerland.

According to the WHO, vaccination programs in Europe have reduced high-risk HPV infections (types 16 and 18) by up to 90% in targeted age groups, highlighting the vaccine’s importance. Additionally, the vaccine has an excellent safety profile, with mostly mild side effects (such as pain at the injection site, mild fever, or fatigue).

Informing patients and encouraging HPV vaccination

In Switzerland, HPV vaccination could theoretically prevent 80 to 180 new cancer cases annually in men and around 300 cases in women. However, despite repeated awareness campaigns, some barriers remain.

Some patients may be unaware of the vaccine’s benefits or fear potential side effects. In addition, vaccine hesitancy has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. A study by First Draft highlighted how misinformation during the health crisis further fueled public distrust of vaccines. This trend is also evident in Europe, where, for example, confidence in childhood vaccination in France has dropped by 11.5% since the pandemic, according to UNICEF.

As a healthcare professional, your role is crucial: you are a trusted and reassuring source of information. You can present scientifically validated data and highlight the simplicity of the HPV vaccination protocol (especially when the schedule requires only two doses for younger patients). Additionally, you can simplify the appointment process for vaccination.

Simplify HPV vaccination with OneDoc

Highlight HPV vaccination

OneDoc allows you to customize your profile to clearly indicate that you offer HPV vaccination or other services related to your expertise. This enhances your visibility on Switzerland’s leading medical appointment booking platform.

If you already use OneDoc but haven’t yet listed HPV-related expertises, contact us!

Make the HPV vaccination process easier for patients

With OneDoc, your patients can book their vaccination appointments online, 24/7. This reduces phone calls and offers greater flexibility, helping to increase appointment rates. You can also integrate online booking directly into your website using our widget.

Additionally, automated SMS reminders help reduce missed appointments.

Manage appointments in your medical software

Handling HPV vaccination appointments can be challenging, especially in a busy practice. That’s why appointments booked via OneDoc are automatically synchronized with your medical software if you use one of our many partner systems.

HPV vaccination – It’s up to you!

HPV vaccination is a crucial tool in stopping the spread of human papillomavirus and preventing many cancers, including cervical cancer. As a healthcare professional, you play a vital role in making this prevention strategy successful—both by reassuring and informing your patients about the vaccine’s effectiveness and by making the vaccination process as seamless as possible.

By highlighting HPV vaccination in your services and leveraging digital tools, you actively support public health efforts to protect more people from HPV-related cancers.

Sources

This article was created in partnership with MSD Switzerland.

• Cervical cancer elimination: progress evident, but tragically slow – World Health Organisation (WHO)
• En France, la confiance à l’égard de la vaccination infantile en baisse de 11,5 % – Unicef
• HPV Info: Alles, was du über humane Papillomaviren wissen musst – MSD Switzerland
• HPV – virus du papillome humain – Infovac.ch
• La Suisse modifie ses recommandations de vaccination contre le HPV – planetesante.ch
• Impfungen für Jugendliche – Bundesamt für Gesundheit (BAG)
• Under the surface: Covid-19 vaccine narratives, misinformation and data deficits on social media – First Draft