Supporting adolescents in providing consent within the English HPV vaccination programme

Three vaccines are available that protect against the high-risk HPV types that are responsible for the majority of HPV-related cancers. In England, adolescents are usually offered the HPV vaccine when they are aged 12-13 years old, as it is most effective if administered before sexual debut. Until recently, uptake of the schools-based HPV vaccination programme exceeded the 80% level required to have a significant impact on cervical cancer deaths1.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions to delivery of the vaccination programme, and national uptake figures remain below 70%2. Supporting more adolescents to provide consent could help restore uptake of the HPV vaccination programme to pre-pandemic levels.