HPV vaccination programme in Japan

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW) partially suspended the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme in June, 2013. Although HPV vaccination has just been included in the routine vaccination schedule and publicly funded since April 2013, a new MHLW directive advises prefectural governors not to actively recommend the vaccine, and to cease all vaccine promotion. However, health facilities are to continue to offer parents seeking the vaccine full support, and facilitate vaccine access. Such advice obviously creates enormous confusion for public health officials, doctors, and parents. A joint meeting of the Vaccine Adverse Reactions Review Committee (VARRC) has indicated that they might remove HPV vaccination from the schedule, despite evidence of its cost-effectiveness in Japan.