Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination reduces the incidence of cervical cancer by 80% in people vaccinated at or before the age of 16, according to two Cochrane reviews.12 The comprehensive systematic reviews also found vaccination was not associated with an increased risk of long term side effects or infertility.
Researchers said they wanted to share high quality data to counter misinformation spread on social media, which has had a massive impact on vaccination rates.
HPV vaccine uptake among female students has consistently decreased from levels before the covid-19 pandemic levels. Coverage has dropped from 90% in 2014-15 to 72% in the 2023-24 academic years, according to the latest figures from the UK Health and Security Agency.3 Similar falls have been seen among male students, from 81% to 68%.
Senior author Jo Morrison, gynaecological oncology consultant at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The phenomenon of misinformation is worldwide, and vaccine scares in other countries have had a massive impact on vaccination rates …
