Italian Regions Expand Free HPV Vaccination to New Age Groups

In the Apulia province of Foggia, health officials are extending the free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme for people aged 11 to 26 and are planning mobile vaccination units, including a camper, to reach migrants and remote communities. The initiative is coordinated with cervical‑cancer screening services and aims to vaccinate women who already attend screening at the same secondary‑level centres.

The Umbria regional council has approved an extension of the free HPV vaccine to boys born in 2005, a cohort previously excluded from the active call‑up that began in 2017 for males born from 2006 onward. The decision follows regional coverage rates that exceed the national average, with the council allocating up to €500,000 to local health units to promote the programme and strengthen prevention of HPV‑related cancers.