Debate continues over free HPV vaccination: Ministry awaits scientific evaluation

The debate over whether the HPV vaccine will be provided free of charge in Turkey continues. Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu stated at a meeting with health reporters on August 15 that scientific evaluations regarding the inclusion of the vaccine in the national immunization program are still underway.

Memişoğlu noted that some scientists hold the view that there is no need for a national HPV vaccination program in Turkey, emphasizing that Turkey conducts widespread HPV screening. The Minister stated, "Our HPV rates, cancer rates, and cancer-causing rates are different. Our HPV profile is also different."

Minister Memişoğlu also mentioned that if the scientific evaluation concludes that the vaccine is beneficial, it will be included in the program. However, despite previous statements, the HPV vaccine has not yet been added to the national immunization schedule in Turkey.

TTB REITERATES DEMAND FOR FREE VACCINATION

The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) wants the HPV vaccine to be included in the national immunization schedule to be provided free of charge to everyone. Dr. Ayşe Gültekingil, an executive member of the TTB Women's Medicine and Women's Health Branch, stated that the scientific data forming the basis of the Ministry's explanation should be shared with the public.

According to Gültekingil, the prevalence of HPV-16 and HPV-18 types, which have the strongest link to cervical cancer in Turkey, does not differ significantly from global data. Gültekingil said, "According to figures provided by the Gynecology Association in Turkey, the oncogenic types, which we call HPV-16 and HPV-18, are the most common types in Turkey as well. They are seen at a rate of approximately 70 percent."

Gültekingil assessed that "there is no scientific literature to support the argument that 'the types in Turkey are different, so there is no need for vaccination.'" It is noted that the nine-valent HPV vaccine provides protection against nine types that are significant in terms of cervical cancer, including HPV-16 and HPV-18.

SCREENING AND VACCINATION ARE NOT ALTERNATIVES TO EACH OTHER

The World Health Organization (WHO) views the HPV vaccine as one of the fundamental tools in its strategy to eliminate cervical cancer. According to the WHO, vaccinating girls aged 9-14 in particular is a highly effective method of protection.

It is noted that WHO-approved vaccines provide protection against HPV-16 and HPV-18 types, which are responsible for approximately 76 percent of cervical cancers worldwide. The organization defines vaccination and regular screening as complementary practices, not alternatives to each other.

The debate over making the HPV vaccine free in Turkey has been on the agenda since 2022. The then-Minister of Health, Fahrettin Koca, had announced that vaccination would begin with a designated group and that the scope would be expanded gradually. Memişoğlu had also said in June 2025 that the vaccine would be administered free of charge starting from the end of 2025; however, the program was not launched.

Minister Memişoğlu stated at the Turkish Grand National Assembly's Committee on Equal Opportunity for Women and Men in February 2026 that approximately 1 million 760 thousand HPV screenings were conducted in 2025 and that the type distribution was being examined. At the same meeting, he stated that a joint decision had not been reached in the Scientific Committee regarding the inclusion of the vaccine in the program.

The economic dimension of the demand for free vaccination is also one of the important topics of the debate. It is stated that a single dose of the nine-valent HPV vaccine used in Turkey costs approximately 5 thousand TL, and since two or three doses are required depending on age, the total cost can reach 10 thousand to 15 thousand TL.

Although a national free program has not yet begun, some municipalities are conducting HPV vaccination programs for groups within the scope of social support. The criteria for age, residency, and social assistance in the programs of the Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir metropolitan municipalities vary by municipality.

News Source: 12punto