PERCH General Assembly Highlights Achievements and Future Plans
On December 9, 2024, the PERCH consortium gathered for its General Assembly in Paris, bringing together in-person and online participants from across Europe, including consortium members, Scientific Advisory Board members, and Governmental Advisory Board members. The meeting focused on reviewing project milestones, sharing insights, and discussing future strategies to ensure sustainability and equity in HPV vaccination efforts.
Key Achievements of the PERCH Joint Action
- Coordination and Collaboration:
- The PERCH project has successfully achieved 20 deliverables and 27 milestones, fostering cross-border collaboration to improve HPV vaccination strategies and equity across 18 member states.
- Efforts remain focused on achieving 90% HPV vaccination coverage for girls by the age of 15 by 2030, with similar goals for boys, where applicable.
- Integration and Sustainability
- The PERCH Joint Action has provided clearer evidence on the effectiveness of a single-dose HPV vaccine, helping EU countries refine their vaccination strategies. In Europe, the single-dose vaccination strategy has been adopted in Estonia, Ireland, and Spain, as well as in Albania, Montenegro, and the UK (non EU-27 countries).
- It highlighted disparities in vaccine pricing, showing that wealthier countries with stronger negotiation power secure lower prices. This finding underlines the need for more efficient, collaborative procurement practices.
- HPV vaccination actions were launched in 12 EU countries under PERCH, focusing on increasing vaccination coverage through innovative campaigns and local strategies.
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- All European countries have introduced HPV vaccination, almost all now including boys in their programs. Very few countries meet the WHO target of 90% coverage, with most reporting rates around 60%.
- The project stressed the importance of linking individual patient data with screening and cancer registries to evaluate vaccine effectiveness and facilitate future risk-based screening strategies.
- Improving Knowledge and Awareness
- PERCH supported countries in evaluating and implementing innovative tools to raise awareness and improve HPV vaccine uptake. Examples include Italy’s creative rap song project and Sweden’s use of fact sheets for parents and caregivers.
- Customized communication strategies like Greece’s podcasts for health professionals and Lithuania’s real-time vaccination dashboard have enhanced outreach and engagement.
- The tools evaluated under WP6 will be summarized in a final report, providing evidence of their effectiveness and actionable insights for countries aiming to boost vaccination coverage.
- Communication and Awareness
- Over 192 dissemination activities were conducted, including media campaigns and tailored communication tools. Slovenia’s media campaign achieved over 1.7 million impressions in its first two months.
- The development of a national HPV communication strategy guide is ongoing, supporting countries in countering misinformation and improving vaccine awareness. This guide assists countries in creating tailored national strategies for promoting HPV vaccination and addressing HPV-related challenges. It includes step-by-step instructions on identifying target audiences, crafting messages, selecting communication channels, and managing potential crises. It emphasizes partnerships and ongoing evaluation to sustain effective communication efforts over time. The preparation of these national strategies is further strengthened through peer support from the HPV Vaccination Guild, enabling countries to share experiences and receive practical advice on implementing the guide’s recommendations.
- HPV Vaccination Guild: Working package 2 established an HPV Vaccination Guild with 82 members from 18 countries, including Ireland as an associated partner. Each country is represented by an HPV expert and a communication specialist. The Guild has expanded beyond its initial purpose, becoming a long-term network for sharing knowledge, best practices, and lessons learned through workshops and webinars. The Guild fosters collaboration and supports HPV vaccination efforts across Europe.
- Training and Knowledge Exchange
- Training programs were implemented in 12 countries, focusing on advanced communication techniques like Motivational Interviewing. Slovenia’s “ABC of HPV” webinars had a 94% satisfaction rate, emphasizing the value of empowering healthcare professionals.
GAB Reflections and Feedback
The GAB members shared valuable insights and reflections on key challenges and opportunities for advancing HPV vaccination efforts:
Vaccine Hesitancy and Communication: Members highlighted the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public trust in vaccines, emphasizing the importance of equipping healthcare professionals with effective communication strategies. They also stressed the need for combating misinformation through clear, reliable resources and leveraging social media for outreach. Additionally, the involvement of nurses in vaccination campaigns was recognized as a critical area for further support.
One-Dose Vaccination Schedules: The potential benefits of adopting a one-dose vaccination schedule were discussed, with a focus on the need for strong evidence and official vaccine provider authorizations before implementation. It was acknowledged that this approach could significantly improve coverage, but pragmatic decision-making and further evaluation remain essential.
Equity in Access: Ensuring equitable access to HPV vaccination was a recurring theme. Members highlighted efforts to integrate marginalized populations, such as refugees, into healthcare systems, while acknowledging the specific challenges in reaching these groups. The importance of subsidizing vaccine costs to improve accessibility for women and young people was also emphasized.
Innovative Strategies and Tools: The discussion underscored the value of sharing tools and best practices tailored to the cultural and healthcare contexts of different countries. Members also emphasized the need for collaboration and the exchange of ideas to address common challenges, such as improving vaccine uptake and tackling structural barriers.
These reflections reinforced the importance of sustained collaboration and evidence-based strategies to address vaccine hesitancy, improve equity, and enhance HPV vaccination efforts across Europe.
Next Steps and Conclusion
The meeting concluded with gratitude to all contributors and a focus on the importance of continued collaboration and engagement in the project’s final phases. The next steps include:
- Maintaining strong coordination across teams to ensure the sustainability of the project’s results.
- Finalizing paper drafts and aligning work package outputs for publication.
- Continuing efforts to evaluate single-dose HPV vaccination efficacy to support broader adoption and increase vaccination rates.
- Preparing for the final PERCH General Assembly in Greece or Rome in June 2025, which will celebrate the culmination of the project.
