‘Little progress for NIP support of 9-valent HPV vaccines'

while head and neck, and oropharyngeal cancers are on the rise

Head and neck cancer and oropharyngeal cancer increased by 41% and 56%, respectively, in 10 years

Rep. In-Soon Nam, ‘President Suk-Yeol Yoon should keep his pledge to expand HPV vaccination’

The number of patients receiving treatment for head and neck cancer and oropharyngeal cancer, both of which are caused by HPV (human papillomavirus), is on the rise.

 

In just a decade, from 2013 to last year, the number of head and neck cancer patients increased by 41.6%, and the number of oropharyngeal cancer patients increased by 56%.

 

In this situation, voices have been raised on how President Suk-Yeol Yoon should actively and promptly fulfill its pledge to ‘expand the subject of HPV vaccination to males and provide support’ through relevant policies.

 

On the 10th, Rep.

 

In-Soon Nam of the Democratic Party of Korea, announced so after analyzing the ‘Patients Treated for Head and Neck Cancer and Oropharyngeal Cancer' data that was submitted by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.

 

The number of head and neck cancer patients increased by 41.6% from 302,960 in 2013 to 429,054 in 2022, and oropharyngeal cancer increased by 56% from 3,847 in 2013 to 6,003 in 2022.

 

By gender, of the 429,054 patients with head and neck cancer, 104,881 (24.4%) were men and 324,173 (75.6%) were women.

 

Among the 6,003 patients with oropharyngeal cancer, 4,890 were men.

 

81.5%), and 1,113 (18.5%) were women.

 

The national HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination program began for girls aged 12 in 2016 and then was expanded to include female adolescents aged 12 to 17 and low-income women aged 18 to 26 since 2022.

 

The vaccines provided with national support are bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines, and 9-valent vaccines were not included.

 

Rep.

 

Nam said, “President Yoon, who had been a candidate back then, promised he would extend insurance coverage to Gardasil 9-valent vaccine during his’59-second shorts’ pledge.

 

Also, the People Power Party’s presidential election policy pledge contains ‘Free national HPV vaccination for men starting from the age of 12.

 

However, the expansion of HPV vaccine vaccination to men and support for vaccination has not been implemented.” Meanwhile, according to the 'HPV National Vaccination Status in OECD Countries' data submitted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, only 7 countries, including Japan and Mexico, support bivalent or quadrivalent vaccines for female adolescents only like Korea.

 

18 countries including the United States, Canada, and France provide support for the use of the 9-valent vaccine for both men and women.

 

Rep.

 

Nam said, “The recent HPV vaccine cost-effectiveness analysis report concluded that expanding the target population or converting to a 9-valent vaccine is not agreeable in the current domestic situation.

 

HPV is not only responsible for cervical cancer, but also head and neck cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, and anal cancer.

 

This is why many OECD countries are actively administering HPV vaccines.

 

cost-effectiveness studies.

 

As we are promoting reconducting the cost-effectiveness research, I hope the government will also abide by its word and actively engage in the provision of 9-valent vaccines.”