Current issues facing the introduction of human papillomavirus vaccine in China and future prospects

Abstract

The introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in China aims to prevent HPV infection in all women. The issues that China might face include high cost of vaccines made in other countries, shortage in HPV vaccine supply, negative events attributed to vaccination (whether justified or not) that jeopardizes the general public's confidence in the HPV vaccine, cultural and literacy barriers, and sensitivity to receiving a vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease. Ensuring the effective delivery of the HPV vaccine in China, a country with vast economic, geographical, and cultural complexities, will require a commitment of significant resources. In light of the high price of imported vaccines, the availability of locally manufactured HPV vaccines would greatly facilitate the national HPV vaccination program. New evidence supporting the efficacy of a two-dose regime in younger adolescents would also be advantageous in terms of affordability and logistical simplicity of vaccine administration. Furthermore, it would potentially enhance the compliance and uptake, especially for hard to reach women in remote regions.

Cancer attributable to human papillomavirus infection in China: Burden and trends

“…3,11 In some developed countries, males have been included in the HPV vaccination program, but in China, only females who are of a certain age have access to the HPV vaccine. 72 In 2015, approximately 10,000 male cancer cases and 5000 male cancer deaths were caused by HPV infection; however, these patients could not benefit from the HPV vaccine. Males also should be included in HPV vaccination programs.…”

“…Between 2016 and 2018, bivalent, quadrivalent, and nonavalent HPV vaccines were serially approved and introduced to the market in China 11 . However, several important obstacles still existed, such as a low coverage rate of screening and HPV vaccines; insufficient health care staff for screening and an insufficient vaccine supply; the high cost of HPV vaccines; and a lack of knowledge regarding HPV, cervical cancer, screening, and HPV vaccines among the general population 72,73 . At the end of 2019, a domestic HPV bivalent vaccine, at a much lower price and in much more sufficient supply, was approved to be used among females aged 9 to 45 years in China 74 .…”

Years of life lost due to premature death and their trends in people with malignant neoplasm of female genital organs in Shanghai, China during 1995–2018: a population based study

“…Similar to the GBD study reporting deaths from cervix cancer increased by 19% (95% UI: 13%; 23%) globally between 2007 and 2017, our results also showed an increased trend of cervix uteri cancer death during the same period of time. Currently, even though HPV vaccination program will prevent a proportion of cervix uteri cancer, a significant amount of women aged above 26 are not eligible for receiving the HPV vaccine in mainland China [20]. More importantly, cervix uteri cancer surpassed ovary cancer and ranked as the leading cause of MNFGO death in PNA women of age group 30-44 y.…”

There’s Much Yet to be Done: Diverse Perspectives on HPV Vaccination

“…22 A third paper examines, in detail, policy challenges and issues with the introduction of vaccines in China. 6 Another paper addresses the challenges associated with implementing effective HPV vaccination programs for men who have sex with men, 23 and a final paper reviews the arguments for and against the implementation of policies to vaccinate female sex workers. 24 CONTACT Gregory D. Zimet gzimet@iu.…”

“…2 Other countries, such as the U.S., 3 have struggled to achieve vaccination goals, and still others have faced setbacks but with good recovery (e.g., Denmark and Ireland). 4,5 At the same time, many countries, including China, 6 still have not implemented national vaccination programs, with the cost of vaccines presenting a significant obstacle, particularly for those countries that are not eligible for reduced pricing through Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) or other mechanisms. Other countries, such as Malaysia, Rwanda, Australia, and the U.K., have achieved sustained high levels of vaccination.…”