“Saving lives”: Adapting and adopting Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination in Austria
Cet article analyse les différents débats qui ont précédé l'introduction réussie en Autriche d'un vaccin contre le papillomavirus humain
Vaccination against the sexually transmitted Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a necessary agent for the development of cervical cancer, has triggered much debate. In Austria, HPV policy turned from “lagging behind” in 2008 into “Europe's frontrunner” by 2013. Drawing on qualitative research, the article shows how the vaccine was transformed and made “good enough” over the course of five years. By means of tinkering and shifting storylines, policy officials and experts disassociated the vaccine from gender, vaccine manufacturers, and youth sexuality. Ultimately, the HPV vaccine functioned to strengthen the national immunization program. To this end, preventing an effective problematization of the extant screening program was essential.
Social Science & Medicine , article en libre accès, 2015