Girls will soon receive free HPV shots

China will include a vaccine to treat HPV into the national immunization program starting Nov 10, offering free inoculations to girls age 13 and above, according to a new policy issued on Thursday.

The move aims to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer, a leading threat to women's health. The decision was made in a bid to reduce the burden of HPV-infected diseases and better satisfy the need to ensure disease prevention and safeguard people's health, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration announced.

HPV vaccination is the most economical and effective long-term intervention to reduce the risk of cervical cancer. Widespread vaccination can effectively prevent more than 70 percent of cervical cancer cases, while also reducing the occurrence of other diseases caused by HPV infection.

Seven government bodies, including the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration and the National Health Commission, jointly announced the policy. Under the plan, which has been approved by the State Council, China's Cabinet, girls born after Nov 10, 2011, will receive two doses of the bivalent HPV vaccine at no cost, with a six-month interval between doses.

The World Health Organization recommends the prioritization of HPV vaccination for girls age 9-14 before their first sexual encounters. Based on China's specific context, including physical development patterns and the average age of girls when they become sexually active, 13-year-olds have been identified as the optimal group for immunizations.

The bivalent HPV vaccine, selected for its proven safety, efficacy and sufficient supply, has been widely used in China for years. Its cost-effectiveness further supports large-scale deployment.

Earlier efforts laid the groundwork for the national rollout. Before the policy was announced, 18 provincial-level regions had already incorporated HPV vaccination into local public health projects.

Local authorities will now begin preparatory work, including assessing the number of eligible girls, training staff at vaccination sites and updating the national immunization information system. To ensure efficiency, appointments will be scheduled in staggered time slots.