HPV vaccination

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are considered the main cause of cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine protects against infection with many types of these viruses, which are usually transmitted through sexual contact. The vaccine can reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer by up to 90 per cent. It also significantly reduces the risk of other HPV-related cancers. In this article, you will find out everything about how the HPV vaccine works, how much it costs and why it is so important.

HPV does not only affect women – men also frequently become infected, usually without realising it. It is estimated that up to 80 per cent of all sexually active people will contract HPV at least once in their lifetime. The infection usually goes unnoticed and often remains undetected for a long time. Many people are therefore completely unaware that they are infected or that they are passing the virus on without realising it. In this article, you will find out what HPV means for men, what the risks are and how you can protect yourself.

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are widespread, and most people come into contact with them at some point in their lives. Whilst infections often go unnoticed, they can have serious long-term health consequences, including various types of cancer. For a long time, prevention efforts focused primarily on protecting girls. Today, however, we know that the HPV vaccine is an important step in cancer prevention for children and young people of both sexes. In this article, you will find out why protection is important for everyone, from what age the vaccine is particularly beneficial, and what else you should know about HPV.

Since July 2024, the HPV vaccine has been available free of charge in Austria to everyone up to their 30th birthday. The scheme, which has been offering the vaccine free of charge to young people aged between 9 and 21 since February 2023, has been extended to include those up to the age of 30 and will be accompanied by an information campaign this autumn.