Published 18 Jun, 2025

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of four main infectious pathogens that increase the risk of developing cancer. HPV types 16 and 18 account for approximately 72% of all HPV-attributable cancers. In 2018, HPV was responsible for an estimated 690,000 cases of cancer diagnosed worldwide.1 HPV is the primary cause of cervical cancer. It also causes some kinds of vulval, vaginal, penile, anal cancers, genital warts and some oropharyngeal cancers.1-4 Women are more commonly affected by HPV-related cancers. However, almost one in three men worldwide are infected with at least one type of genital HPV.5

HPV vaccination and cervical screening are both cost-effective means of reducing new cases of cervical cancer.6 Vaccination and screening have been and continue to be effective in reducing the burden of HPV-related cancers in Australia.7-8 

Charts
  • Notes
    • The data refer to doses administered and reported to the HPV Register, excluding those for individuals who did not wish their details to be recorded on the Register.
    Table caption
    Proportion of the population who have received at least 1 dose of the HPV vaccine, 2021-2023
  • Notes
    • Data are sourced from the National HPV Vaccination Program Register website: http://www.hpvregister.org.au/
    • Remoteness was classified according to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Remoteness Areas, July 2011.
    • See 'About the data' for more information on changes to the National HPV Vaccination Program over time.
    Table caption
    Proportion of the population aged 12-13 years who have received the HPV vaccine, by dose number and remoteness, 2014
  • Notes
    • Data are sourced from the National HPV Vaccination Program Register website: http://www.hpvregister.org.au/
    • See 'About the data for more information on changes to the National HPV Vaccination Program over time.
    Table caption
    Proportion of the population aged 12-13 years who had received the HPV vaccine, by dose number and socioeconomic status, 2014

The World Health Organization (WHO) has a global goal to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem. This means reducing its incidence to fewer than 4 cases per 100,000 people. To achieve this, WHO has set ambitious targets to reach by 2030 (‘90:70:90’ targets), focusing on scaling up HPV vaccination and cervical screening, as well as increasing treatment for cancer and precancer conditions.9 Australia's national strategy for the elimination of cervical cancer aligns with the WHO global goals of having 90% of girls fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine by 15 years of age by 2030 in each country.10 It highlights equity in elimination and extends the vaccination target to include males and females.

It is recommended that adolescents and young adults receive 9-valent-HPV (9vHPV) vaccine from nine years of age. The optimal age for HPV vaccination is around 12–13 years, in advance of HPV exposure through sexual activity. Those unvaccinated by age 14 can still get the vaccine up to the age of 25.10-11

Since mid-2007, Australia’s National HPV Vaccination Program, part of the National Immunisation Program (NIP), has provided free HPV vaccinations for young females usually at 12–13 years of age through the Secondary School Immunisation Program. A catch-up program for females aged 14–26 years was funded until the end of 2009.

In 2013, the program expanded to include males aged 12–13 years, with a catch-up program for males aged 14–15 years running until the end of 2014. In 2023, the NIP extended its catch-up program to include young people up to 25 years of age (increased from 19 years of age).11-14

From 2007 to 2017, Gardasil 4-valent-HPV (4vHPV) was used as part of the NIP. This vaccine provides protection from 4 types of HPV (6, 11, 16 and 18). The current vaccine used in the Australian National Immunisation Program (NIP) is Gardasil9, 9vHPV. This vaccine protects against nine types of HPV types (6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58). From February 2023, Gardasil 9 has been administered as a single-dose (rather than the previous two-dose course).12-14 Cervarix, a bivalent vaccine which protects against HPV types 16 and 18, is also available on the private market.

About the data: HPV vaccination coverage in this report relates to coverage of at least one dose of HPV vaccine receiving before the 15th birthday in adolescents turning 15 years of age in the relevant year. Statistics for this measure were taken from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) reports. 

HPV vaccination coverage among adolescents turning 15 years

In 2023, 84.2% of girls and 81.8% of boys in Australia received at least one dose of HPV vaccine by 15 years of age.

HPV vaccination coverage of at least one dose of HPV vaccine received before 15th birthday was lowest in those living in remote & very remote areas or in the most disadvantaged areas

In 2023, 81.3% of girls and 77.5% of boys turning 15 years living in areas of most disadvantaged areas received at least one dose of HPV vaccine. 

Coverage of at least one dose of HPV vaccine by the 15th birthday in 2023 was lowest in girls and boys in remote and very Remote areas (80.3% and 77.2%, respectively).
 

Current status of the indicator

In 2023, 84.2% of girls and 81.8% of boys in Australia had received at least one dose of HPV vaccine by 15 years of age.15

Remoteness and socioeconomic status

In 2023, girls living in major cities and inner & outer regional had a higher HPV vaccination coverage than those in remote and very remote areas (84.3% and 84.4% respectively compared with 80.3%).15 

Among boys, those living in remote & very remote areas had a lower coverage (77.2%) compared to those living in major cities (82.0%).

In 2023, girls living in the most socioeconomically advantaged areas had the highest HPV vaccination coverage (86.6%) while those living in the least advantaged areas had the lowest (81.3%).15 This pattern was the same in boys. Boys in the most socioeconomically advantaged areas had a higher HPV vaccination coverage (85.2%) than those living in the most disadvantaged areas (77.5%).15

First Nations status 

In 2023, among First Nations adolescents, 80.9% of girls and 75.0% of boys received at least one dose of HPV vaccine before their 15th birthday.15 

In the 2023 National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) report, vaccination coverage for 2023 was measured using Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) data as at February 4th 2024.15

Coverage of at least one dose of HPV vaccine reported here was coverage by 15 years of age (as per the WHO recommendation for standardised international reporting), calculated using the number of Medicare-registered adolescents in each year-wide birth cohort with an AIR record of having received at least one dose of HPV vaccine after their 9th birthday but before their 15th birthday as the numerator and the total number of Medicare-registered adolescents in the relevant birth cohort as the denominator, expressed as a percentage.15 

A cohort of births from 1 January to 31 December 2007 was used for 2022 coverage estimates (i.e. vaccines due from early 2019 to late 2020) whereas a cohort born from 1 January to 31 December 2008 for 2023 was then used for coverage estimates (i.e. vaccines due from early 2020 to late 2021).15

Since February 2023, young people (except those who were immunocompromised) who had received a single dose before 26 years of age have been considered fully vaccinated and not to need further doses.11-12 

Remoteness

Areas of residence of children were defined as ‘Major cities’, ‘Inner regional’, ‘Outer regional’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Very remote’ using the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA++). ARIA++ is a continuous varying index with values ranging from 0 (high accessibility) to 15 (high remoteness) and is based on road distances from over 12,000 populated localities to the nearest service centres in five categories based on population size. ARIA++ Accessibility/Remoteness categories were assigned to each child using their recorded postcode of residence on the AIR.16

For analysis in the 2023 report, the NCIRS combined the two ‘Regional’ categories (‘Inner regional’ and ‘Outer regional’) into one category and the two ‘Remote’ categories (‘Remote’ and ‘Very remote’) into one category.15

Socioeconomic status 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) Index of Economic Resources was assigned for individuals using their recorded postcode of residence on the AIR.17

Data caveat

Adolescent coverage estimates in this NCIRS report may differ slightly from estimates published elsewhere that are calculated using rolling annualised quarterly coverage data. More details on methodology are found in references 15, 18-20.

Data source:

National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance Australia. Annual Immunisation Coverage Reports. Available at https://ncirs.org.au/reports?field_archive_value=2018&field_publication_category_target_id=48&combine=
 

Data:

  1. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance Australia. Annual Immunisation Coverage Reports. Available at https://ncirs.org.au/reports?field_archive_value=2018&field_publication_category_target_id=48&combine=

Policy:

  1. Australian Government. Department of Health and Aged Care. National Strategy for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in Australia. https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-11/national-strategy-for-the-elimination-of-cervical-cancer-in-australia.pdf
     
  2. Australian Government. Department of Health and Aged Care. Australian Immunisation Handbook. Human papillomavirus (HPV). https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/contents/vaccine-preventable-diseases/human-papillomavirus-hpv
     

References:

  1. de Martel C, Georges D, Bray F, et al. Global burden of cancer attributable to infections in 2018: a worldwide incidence analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2020 Feb;8(2): e180-e190.
     
  2. Brotherton JM. How much cervical cancer in Australia is vaccine preventable? A meta-analysis. Vaccine. 2008 Jan 10;26(2):250-6.
     
  3. Hartwig, S., Syrjänen, S., Dominiak-Felden, G et al. Estimation of the epidemiological burden of human papillomavirus-related cancers and non-malignant diseases in men in Europe: a review. BMC Cancer 12, 30 (2012).
     
  4. Grulich AE, Jin F, Conway EL, et al. Cancers attributable to human papillomavirus infection. Sex Health. 2010;7(3):244-52. 10.1071/SH10020.
     
  5. Bruni L, Albero G, Rowley J, et al. Global and regional estimates of genital human papillomavirus prevalence among men: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2023 Sep;11(9): e1345-e1362.
     
  6. Kulasingam S, Connelly L, Conway E, et al. A cost-effectiveness analysis of adding a human papillomavirus vaccine to the Australian National Cervical Cancer Screening Program. Sex Health. 2007 Sep;4(3):165-75.
     
  7. Patel C, Brotherton JM, Pillsbury A, et al. The impact of 10 years of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in Australia: what additional disease burden will a nonavalent vaccine prevent? Euro Surveill. 2018 Oct;23(41):1700737.
     
  8. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance 2021. Impact evaluation of Australian national human papillomavirus vaccination program. Accessed Nov 2024; https://ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2021-11/Impact%20evaluation%20of%20national%20HPV%20vaccination%20program_February%202021%20Report_0.pdf
     
  9. WHO. Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative. Accessed Nov 2024; https://www.who.int/initiatives/cervical-cancer-elimination-initiative#cms
     
  10. Australian Government. Department of Health and Aged Care 2023. National Strategy for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in Australia. Accessed Nov 2024; https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-11/national-strategy-for-the-elimination-of-cervical-cancer-in-australia.pdf
     
  11. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance 2023. HPV vaccines for Australians. Significant events in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination practice in Australia. Accessed Nov 2024; https://ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2024-03/Human%20papillomavirus_History%20table.pdf 
     
  12. Australian Government. Department of Health and Aged Care 2023. HPV vaccine – Fact sheet outlining changes under the National Immunisation Program in 2023. Accessed Nov 2024; https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/hpv-vaccine-fact-sheet-outlining-changes-under-the-national-immunisation-program-in-2023?language=en
     
  13. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance 2023. HPV vaccines for Australians. Accessed Nov 2024;  https://ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2023-02/HPV-Factsheet_February-2023.pdf
     
  14. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance 2018. HPV vaccines for Australians. Accessed Nov 2024;  https://www.ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2018-12/HPV%20Factsheet_2018%20Aug%20Update_final%20for%20web.pdf
     
  15. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance Australia 2024. Annual Immunisation Coverage Reports 2023. Accessed Nov 2024; https://ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2024-10/NCIRS%20Annual%20Immunisation%20Coverage%20Report%202023.pdf
     
  16. Australian Centre for Housing Research. Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA++). Accessed Nov 2024; https://able.adelaide.edu.au/housing-research/data-gateway/aria
     
  17. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Socio Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA). Accessed Nov 2024; http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/seifa
     
  18. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance Australia 2023. Annual Immunisation Coverage Reports 2022. Accessed Nov 2024; https://ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2024-01/NCIRS%20Annual%20immunisation%20coverage%20report%202022.pdf
     
  19. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance Australia 2022. Annual Immunisation Coverage Reports 2021. Accessed Nov 2024; https://ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2022-12/NCIRS%20Annual%20Immunisation%20Coverage%20Report%202021_FINAL.pdf
     
  20. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance Australia 2021. Annual Immunisation Coverage Reports 2020. Accessed Nov 2024; https://ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2022-07/NCIRS%20Annual%20Immunisation%20Coverage%20Report%202020.pdf

Summary

HPV vaccination coverage

In 2023, 85.9% of girls and 83.4% of boys in Australia had received at least one dose of HPV vaccine. 

Uptake (ie coverage) of HPV vaccinations in females has increased

The uptake in females of a complete vaccination course by 15 years of age increased from 72% in 2012 to 80.5% in 2020.

Uptake of HPV vaccinations in males has increased

The uptake in males of a complete vaccination course by 15 years of age increased from 62% in 2014 to 78% in 2020.

HPV vaccination coverage varies by Remoteness and socioeconomic disadvantage.

In 2022, girls and boys living in areas of the least disadvantage had higher vaccine coverage rate than those living in disadvantaged areas (87.7% and 86.0% compared to 82.7% and 79.4%, respectively). In 2022, girls and boys living in very remote areas had the lowest vaccine coverage rates (80.2% and 80.1%, respectively).

Related indicator
Cancer incidence
Conditional 5-year relative survival
Cancer mortality

In this Measure

Related measures

Cancer incidence
Cancer mortality
5-year relative survival from diagnosis
Conditional 5-year relative survival
Five-year prevalence
Mortality-to-incidence ratio