The Categorisation Commission for Medicinal Products recommended at its September meeting to change the indication restriction of HPV vaccines, and to extend the full reimbursement of HPV vaccines for girls and boys also at 14 and 15 years of age. Tomorrow, 15 September 2023, the Ministry will publish the Minister's decision. If a decision becomes final, it should be enforceable from 1.12.2023.
HPV is the most common cause of cervical cancer, causing cancer of the vagina, vulva, head and neck, rectum and in men also penile cancer. cervical cancer caused by HPV is the second most common type of cancer in Slovakia that affects women of childbearing age.
In Slovakia, since May 2022, free vaccination with the latest nanovalent vaccine Gardasil 9 against HPV virus was introduced for boys and girls in the 13th year of life. Anti-HPV vaccinations up to 15 years of age allow the highest immune response to be achieved, with only two doses of vaccine vaccinated. Free vaccinations resulted in a significant increase in vaccination against HPV infection in 2022 versus 2021 data from the General Health Insurance Agency.

Počet hradených vakcín z VZP

As early as 2023, the Ministry of Health announced the launch of a technical debate on the extension of the age of children, which would apply fully paid vaccination by health insurance companies. Michal Palkovič, Minister of Health: This is a step in catching up with the world in which vaccination against HPV virus causing several types of cancer is significantly higher. It's great news for young people, because they can protect themselves for life in this simple and safe way. The Ministry calls on parents to have their children vaccinated, while supporting vaccination activities in regions and regions organised by the so-called vaccination days. I thank all partners involved in our efforts to extend the age group of children who can be vaccinated against HPV virus free of charge.
The HPV vaccination programme is part of a broader set of MZSR measures aimed at eliminating cervical cancer, along with raising HPV awareness, increasing screening rates and implementing a coordinated prevention and treatment strategy.

Thanks to vaccination of boys and girls in countries such as Australia, Britain, and Sweden, cervical cancer fell by 87 to 97%. Full coverage of vaccines for 13-15 year-old children of both girls and boys - will be implemented from 1st December this year and means a significant to key moment in reducing both morbidity and cancer mortality.
In the long term, the introduction of HPV vaccination is also an austerity measure that will bring about future savings from public health insurance expenditure by preventing cancer caused by HPV.