PERCH

Project Description

Perch (PartnERship to Contrast HPV) is a joint action project that aims to contribute to the implementation of the European plan to overcome cervical cancer and other cancers caused by HPV.

Added Value

The main objectives of the project are:

•  improving the capacity of Member States to plan and conduct HPV vaccination campaigns by sharing knowledge and experience;

•  improving national and EU-wide data and monitoring system on HPV vaccination;

•  improving knowledge and awareness of diseases caused by HPV infections and prevention;

•  improving healthcare professionals’ communication on HPV vaccination.

Expected Results and Materials

The project started on 1 November 2022. A total of 34 partner organisations from 18 European countries participate in the new European Partnership to increase HPV vaccination coverage in Europe. The main coordinator of the project is Italy. The Joint Action (JA) project is under the auspices of the European Commission.

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the implementation of the new European Beating Cancer Plan and to support Member States’ efforts to expand routine HPV vaccination to eliminate cervical cancer in the coming decades and reduce the number of other cancers caused by HPV infections. In particular, the main purpose of the project is to prepare Member States to launch or revive HPV vaccination campaigns. By sharing knowledge and experience, the project will improve the capacity of Member States to plan and conduct HPV vaccination campaigns, improve the system of data and monitoring of HPV vaccination and HPV screening tests, improve knowledge and awareness of HPV-related diseases and prevent them in specific target groups (young people and adolescents), and improve the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals in communicating on HPV vaccination.

Project Duration: 1 November 2022–30 April 2025

Supporting Organisation: National Institute of Health, Italy

Project Partners:

•  Institute of Oncology Ljubljana (IOL), Slovenia

•  National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ), Slovenia

•  Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (UCSC), Italy

•  University of Padua (UNIPD), Italy

•  Oncology Reference Center (CRO), Italy

•  Local Health Authority Research Hospital (AUSL-IRCCS) Reggio Emilia, Italy

•  Interdepartmental Centre for Ethics and Integrity Research – National Research Council (CID Ethics-CNR), Italy

•  Oncologic Network, Prevention and Research Institute (ISPRO), Italy

•  University of Florence (UNIFI), Italy

•  Ministry of Health, Italy

•  Scienzano (SCI), Belgium

•  Croatian Institute of Public Health (CIPH)

•  Institute of Health Information and Statistics (uzis), Czechia

•  National Institute for Health Development (NIHD), Estonia

•  Health Board (HB), Estonia

•  French National Cancer Institute (INCa)

•  School of Advanced Studies in Public Health (EHESP), France

•  Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA), Germany

•  The Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany

•  First Regional Heath Authority of Attica (1st YPE), Greece

•  General Hospital of Athens, Elena Venizelou-Alexandra, Greece

•  Andreas Syngros Hospital for Skin and Venereal Diseases, Greece

•  National Public Health Center (NPHC), Hungary

•  HSE National Immunisation Office (NIO), Ireland

•  National Public Health Center under the Ministry of Health (NVSC), Lithuania

•  Ministry for Health (MFH), Malta

•  Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH)

•  National Institute of Public Health NIH – National Research Institute (NIPH NIH – NRI), Poland

•  National Institute of Public Health (NIPH), Romania

•  Ministry of Health, Slovakia

•  Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Spain

•  Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute Foundation (IDIBELL), Spain

•  Public Health Agency of Sweden (PHAs)

•  Karolinska Institute (KI), Sweden

Funding: European Union