Vaccination Services – Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

The HPV vaccine is one of modern medicine’s quiet success stories: a vaccine that prevents cancer. By protecting against the human papillomavirus, it has dramatically cut the rates of HPV infections and the cancers they cause, and Australia is on track to make cervical cancer rare.

What is HPV, and the vaccine?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common virus spread through skin and sexual contact. Most infections clear on their own, but some types cause cancers (including cervical, and some throat, anal, penile, and other cancers) and genital warts. The HPV vaccine protects against the types responsible for most of these cancers. It works best when given before any exposure to the virus, which is why it is offered to adolescents.

Who is it for, and the school program

HPV vaccination is free under the National Immunisation Program (NIP), offered routinely to adolescents (around ages 12–13) through a school-based program, with catch-up available for those who miss it up to a certain age. Australia now uses a single-dose schedule for most people in the standard program (some, such as immunocompromised people, need more doses). Both boys and girls are vaccinated, because HPV-related cancers affect all genders.

Getting it outside school

If your child missed the school program, or you are an eligible young adult catching up, you can get the HPV vaccine through a GP, immunisation clinic, or, where state rules and the pharmacist’s age limits allow, a pharmacy. Check with the pharmacy whether they can give it for the relevant age. Wherever it is given, it is recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register. Adults outside the funded age range may be able to have it privately on medical advice.

Safety

The HPV vaccine has been given to hundreds of millions of people worldwide and is very safe. Common side effects are mild: a sore arm, and sometimes brief dizziness or fainting in adolescents (which is why a short wait afterwards matters). Tell the immuniser about severe allergies or past reactions.

How it’s regulated in Australia

The HPV vaccine is approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and funded under the National Immunisation Program, with the adolescent program delivered largely through schools. Where pharmacists administer it, they do so under state and territory rules and record doses on the Australian Immunisation Register. Recommendations come from the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

Official sources

• Healthdirect: HPV (human papillomavirus)
• National Immunisation Program schedule

A vaccine that prevents cancer is worth keeping on track. Use the button below to find a pharmacy offering HPV vaccination near you, or check the school program and your GP.