Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage among French adolescents: A claims data study

Background: The French cancer control strategy 2021-2030 aims to achieve 80 % human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage. Since 2021, HPV vaccination is also recommended for boys aged 11-14 years, with a catch-up vaccination recommended for unvaccinated adolescents aged <= 19 years. The PAPILLON study used claims data to monitor the evolution of HPV Vaccination Coverage Rate (VCR) in the French population. Methods: The annual HPV VCR was described from 2017 to 2022. Partial vaccination was defined as the dispensing of at least one dose of HPV vaccination. Full scheme vaccination was defined according to the current French recommendations as two or three doses of HPV vaccine over an 18-month period. Annual HPV vaccine initiation rates were estimated on 11-14 and 15-19-year-olds adolescents. Cumulative VCR were estimated on adolescents aged between 11 and 19 years at the time of first vaccination. Results: Overall, 1,773,900 females and 592,167 males initiated HPV vaccination between 2017 and 2022. Initiations occurred between 11 and 14 years for 67.3 % of females and 62.4 % of males with a median time between the first two doses of 195 days and 190 days, respectively. In girls, the cumulative vaccination rate for the partial scheme vaccination at 15 y.o. increased from 28.1 % in 2017 to 50.9% in 2022. Similarly, the cumulative vaccination rate for the full scheme vaccination at 16 y.o. increased from 15.5 % in 2017 to 33.8 % in 2022. In 2022, the initiation rates for males were 12.6 % at age 14 and 1.9 % at age 19. Conclusions: HPV vaccination coverage increased between 2017 and 2022 among girls targeted by the recommendation but remains insufficient. The results of this study show a tentative but promising start to vaccination in boys. This study will monitor the effects of actions taken to improve vaccination, including the extension of vaccination competencies to community pharmacists since end of 2022.