Health NewZealand I Te Whatu Ora has announced an important change to how human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination will be delivered through the School Based Immunisation Programme from next month.

From 27 July 2026, children will be offered one dose of the HPV vaccine (Gardasil9) at school, with parent or caregiver consent. HPV dose 2 will no longer be offered in schools from this date.

The approved HPV vaccination course in New Zealand is currently two doses for children aged 9 to 14 years. However, international studies show that a single dose provides 97-98% protection against HPV infection and HPV-related cancers.

Based on this evidence, the World Health Organization now recommends a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule. Many countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom, have already adopted this approach.

Note, a second HPV dose remains free and available through GPs, pharmacies and community health providers at least six months after the first dose, should it be requested by whānau.

This change will enable schools to prioritise increasing the uptake of HPV dose 1 (which is currently low) and other catch-up immunisations to address existing immunity gaps and maximise the impact of the programme.

From 27 July 2026 (Term 3), the School Based Immunisation Programme will deliver:

• HPV dose 1 (Gardasil9)
• Tdap (Boostrix)
• Catch-up measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) (Priorix)

Role of community providers, general practice and pharmacies

Under the revised model, parents and caregivers of students receiving HPV dose 1 at school will be informed that evidence shows HPV dose 1 provides comparable protection, and that HPV dose 2 remains available through community providers and general practice for those who wish to complete the course.

Therefore, you may start to receive requests for HPV vaccination from August 2026, particularly from whānau with children in Year 7 and 8 wishing to complete their HPV vaccination course. Note that:

• Primary and community care providers will not be expected to proactively recall or follow up for HPV dose 2 for students in Years 7 and 8 (ages 10 to 13 years)
• PHOs will not be performance‑managed on delivery or coverage of HPV dose 2 within enrolled populations
• Demand for HPV dose 2 in general practice is expected to be limited
• Over 500 pharmacies currently offer HPV vaccination. This is expected to mitigate demand for HPV dose 2 and reduce pressure on general practice
• GPs are strongly encouraged to offer catch-up HPV vaccination to young people aged 14 to 26 years, focusing on those who have not received any HPV doses. It is estimated that ~370,000 young people aged 14 to 26 years have not had any doses of the HPV vaccine. Achieving high coverage in this cohort is essential to accelerate progress towards cervical and other HPV cancer elimination in Aotearoa New Zealand.

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