Japan resumes active recommendations of HPV vaccine after 8·5 years of suspension

On Nov 26, 2021, the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan officially issued an announcement to resume active recommendations of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which had been suspended since June, 2013. 1 Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of JapanFuture response to regular vaccinations related to human papillomavirus infection (Notice of Director of Health). https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000875155.pdfDate: Nov 26, 2021 Date accessed: January 8, 2022 Google Scholar The new announcement now clearly advises municipalities to recommend the vaccine in accordance with Article 8 of the National Immunization Law, which includes sending notifications and vouchers individually to the target population (ie, girls aged 12–16 years). 1 Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of JapanFuture response to regular vaccinations related to human papillomavirus infection (Notice of Director of Health). https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000875155.pdfDate: Nov 26, 2021 Date accessed: January 8, 2022 Google Scholar Municipalities are expected to restart such active recommendations from April, 2022. Has Pakistan failed to roll back HPV?We read with interest the Comment by Rei Haruyama and colleagues,1 and applaud Japan for resuming active recommendations of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Given that HPV is most commonly transmitted through sexual contact, Pakistan—where sexual norms differ from European countries—is susceptible to HPV-associated cancers. In Pakistan, where sexual education is a controversial topic, any discussion of sexual activities is considered to be a social taboo. Each year, around 5008 Pakistani women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, with 3197 reported deaths, making it the second most common malignancy in women aged 15–44 years. Full-Text PDF