A committee under the Centre for Health Protection has recommended that the Government provide mop-up human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for secondary school female students or older girls who are 18 years or below.

The Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases yesterday discussed the use of the HPV vaccine in Hong Kong in an online meeting. The updated recommendations were published today.

Currently, eligible female primary school students of suitable ages will be provided with the HPV vaccine under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme (HKCIP) to prevent cervical cancer.

The first dose of HPV vaccine is given via outreach services by the school immunisation teams to Primary 5 female students at their schools. A second dose is given to the girls when they reach Primary 6 in the following school year.

The scientific committee made its recommendations upon reviewing up-to-date overseas and local scientific evidence, and taking into account the World Health Organization’s updated recommendations as well as overseas practices.

Meanwhile, the committee does not recommend including the HPV vaccine in the HKCIP for boys at this juncture. Parents may choose to vaccinate their sons for better personal protection and could seek advice from family doctors.

As for the number of HPV vaccine doses required, the scientific committee recommends maintaining a two-dose schedule for immunocompetent individuals aged nine to 14 years.

For immunocompetent individuals aged 15 years or above, the current three-dose schedule can be changed to two doses.

Nevertheless, the committee recommends maintaining a three-dose schedule for those who are immunocompromised.