Sander BB, Rebolj M, Valentiner-Branth P, Lynge E. Vaccine. 2011 Dec 6. [Epub ahead of print]

The paper provides and interesting review of the introduction of HPV vaccines in the Nordic countries. Although culturally and historically close, these countries have a different HPV epidemiology, and important variations were observed in the way the vaccination was introduced across Nordic countries.

In contrast to other countries Norway did not include a catch-up program, whereas Denmark recently decided to include women up to the age of 26 years in the vaccination program. Sweden and Iceland at first decided to use the bivalent vaccine, whereas the other countries chose the quadrivalent vaccine.

The vaccine is delivered in school-based settings in Norway, Sweden and Iceland, whereas a mixed setting is used in Greenland and a primary setting in Denmark. Following the advice of the ECDC and the WHO, Norway, Sweden and Iceland have set up regular vaccination registers, whereas Greenland has not done so, and Denmark is in the process of establishing a comprehensive register.