Table 1.
Association of the HPV VCR, according to Sheikh et al. (2018), and the procedures related to respect of the child’s developing autonomy across Europe.
| Country | HPV vaccine rate | Written informed consent needed? | If the child provides consent and the parents don’t (child autonomy) | If the parents provide consent and the child doesn’t (paternalism) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | NR | Guardian’s | Vaccination | Court decision |
| Belgium | 55.5% M | NR | NR | NR |
| Bulgaria | 14.1% L | Guardian’s | No vaccination | Vaccination |
| Croatia | NR | Guardian’s | No vaccination | Vaccination |
| Cyprus | NR | Guardian’s | No vaccination | Vaccination |
| Czech Republic | NR | Both | Vaccination | Court decision |
| Denmark | NR | Guardian’s | Vaccination, after 14 y. | Vaccination, until 14 years |
| Estonia | NR | Both | No vaccination | No vaccination |
| Finland | 68.8% M | Child’s | Vaccination | No vaccination |
| France | 19.1% L | No | Vaccination | No vaccination |
| Germany | 42.5% M | Guardian’s | Vaccination | No vaccination |
| Greece | 27.0% L | No | No vaccination | Negotiation |
| Hungary | NR | Guardian’s | No vaccination | Negotiation |
| Iceland | NR | No | No vaccination | Negotiation |
| Ireland | NR | No | Depending on chronological age | Negotiation |
| Italy | 70.1% H | No | No vaccination | Vaccination |
| Latvia | NR | No | No vaccination | Vaccination |
| Lithuania | NR | Guardian’s | No vaccination | Vaccination |
| Malta | NR | Guardian’s | No vaccination | No vaccination |
| Netherlands | 53.0% M | No | Vaccination | No vaccination |
| Norway | NR | Guardian’s | No vaccination | Vaccination |
| Poland | 23.0% L | Both | Vaccination, after 14 years | Court decision |
| Portugal | NR | Both | Vaccination | NR |
| Romania | NR | Guardian’s | No vaccination | Vaccination |
| Slovakia | NR | Guardian’s | No vaccination | Vaccination |
| Slovenia | NR | Guardian’s | No vaccination | Vaccination |
| Spain | 79.0% H | No | No vaccination | No vaccination |
| Sweden | 80.0% H | Guardian’s | No vaccination | No vaccination |
| UK | 85.9% H | Both | Vaccination | No vaccination |
Note: VCR: vaccine coverage rate; HPV: human papillomavirus; L: low VCR (<40%); M: medium VCR (40–75%); H: high VCR (>75%); NR: not reported; NA: not applicable (no national program).