Interim estimates of male human papillomavirus vaccination coverage in the school-based program in Australia.

In February 2013, following the successful establishment of the National Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Program for females in Australia in 2007,1,2 the program was extended to males. This followed a recommendation by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee that extension of the quadrivalent HPV vaccine program to males would be acceptably cost-effective compared with female only vaccination,3 and subsequent listing on the National Immunisation Program of quadrivalent HPV vaccine for males. The program extends routine school-based HPV vaccination offered during the first year of high school (at age approx 12–13 years) to males, with a 2 year catch-up program for males aged 14–15 years delivered in 2013 and 2014. The 3 dose coverage (completed course) in the female program has been consistently around 71% by age 15 years, with higher 1 (~81%) and 2 (~79%) dose coverage (National HPV Vaccination Program coverage data (http://www.hpvregister.org.au/ research/coverage-data)). In this report we present interim estimates of male HPV vaccination coverage achieved in the school-based program in 2013.