President Nicușor Dan signed eight decrees on promulgating some laws on Friday, including the one that extends the free anti-HPV vaccination to girls and boys up to 26 years.
Free anti-HPV vaccination is provided up to 26 years. Photo: Archive
The new normative act aims to extend the population access to the infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV), aimed at all the age groups for which vaccination is recommended by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Vaccinology Center.
By this measure, the authorities follow a significant reduction in cervical cancer cases, as well as other conditions caused by HPV infection, such as precancerous lesions or certain forms of genital and oropharyngeal cancer.
At the same time, the law aims to increase the vaccine coverage at national level, by introducing an integral cost compensation system for the anti-HPV vaccine, intended for adolescents and young people. Basically, the state will ensure the free vaccination for all the eligible ones, thus eliminating the financial barriers that could prevent access to this type of prevention.
According to the new legal provisions, the screening and vaccination services against HPV infection will be offered at no cost to both girls and boys between 11 and 26 years old, within the National Vaccination Program.
So far, the anti-HPV vaccine has been available for free in Romania only for children and teenagers between the ages of 11 and 18. The new regulations, therefore, come to significantly expand the eligible age group for immunization, thus aligning with international recommendations in the field of public health, notes Agerpres.
