Advice - do not reimburse 9vHPV vaccine (Gardasil 9®) against cancer due to HPV virus for certain women
The National Health Care Institute has advised the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) not to reimburse 9vHPV vaccine (Gardasil 9®) from the basic health care package. It’s about reimbursement for the treatment of certain women at increased risk of cervical cancer. This vaccine protects against various types of cancer caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) infections. The marketing authorisation holder has requested reimbursement for women who have been treated for certain precursors of cervical cancer. The vaccine has not been shown to protect these women better than no vaccine.
9vHPV vaccine is intended for women after treatment of precursors of cervical cancer
9vHPV is the active substance. The brand name is Gardasil 9®. The vaccine is an injection. The vaccine protects against diseases caused by infections with different types of HPV virus:
- precursors of cancer in the cervix, or cancer in the cervix, labia, vagina and anus;
- genital warts.
The HPV vaccination for young people is a standard element of the National Immunisation Programme. The vaccine is used in children from the age of 9 years to provide protection against various types of cancer caused by the HPV virus. In this case, the marketing authorisation holder has requested reimbursement specifically for women who have been treated for certain precursors of cervical cancer. These precursors are also called CIN 2-3. These women are not covered by the National Immunisation Programme. They could not receive this vaccine before, because it was not available to them at that age. These women are at increased risk of the recurrence of precursors of cancer in the cervix, or of developing cancer in the cervix, labia, vagina or anus.
Advice from the National Health Care Institute on the reimbursement of 9vHPV vaccine
The National Health Care Institute advises the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport to not reimburse 9vHPV-vaccin (Gardasil 9®) from the basic health care package. The reimbursement is requested for women who have been treated for certain precursors of cervical cancer. The vaccine has not been shown to protect these women better than no vaccine.
For more information on the GVS and the Lists 1A, 1B and 2, see page ‘Reimbursement of extramural drugs (GVS)’.
More information or questions?
If you have any questions about this advice, please send your question to the National Health Care Institute via warcg@zinl.nl. If you have questions about the reimbursement of a medicinal product, the personal expenses or whether you should pay a contribution, please ask your health insurance provider.
How did the advice come about?
The Scientific Advisory Board (WAR) advises the National Health Care Institute about the assessment. The Minister makes the final decision whether or not to reimburse the medication from the basic health care package.
Explanation about the reimbursement of medicinal products
9vHPV vaccine is an extramural medicinal product. Extramural means: medicines for home use that can be obtained at the pharmacy with a prescription from a physician. They are only reimbursed from the basic health care package if they are listed in the GVS.