HPV and hepatitis vaccines and sexual health in Germany: what LIEBESLEBEN says

Among the chapters of sexual health, vaccines are the most forgotten. We know how to use condoms and get tested, but few couples review their vaccination record. Yet some sexually transmitted infections can be prevented with an injection. The German LIEBESLEBEN initiative, run by the Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG), explains on its website which vaccines exist and who they are recommended for. This guide summarises what it says, with the German context, and suggests questions to take to your doctor. It is not medical advice, and recommendations vary by country.

Three vaccines worth knowing

LIEBESLEBEN's site says it plainly: condoms protect against HIV and reduce the risk of other sexually transmitted infections, but vaccines also exist against the human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis A and hepatitis B. They are, it says, generally well tolerated and offer effective protection. The last two can be combined in a single hepatitis A and B vaccine.

HPV

The vaccine protects against the most common types of the virus. According to the initiative, it can prevent certain cancers, such as a large share of cervical cancers, and, depending on the vaccine, the appearance of genital warts. The page for families adds that most people are infected with HPV at least once in their lives, that about 10,000 people a year in Germany develop cancer because of it, mainly of the cervix and the mouth-throat area, and that the vaccine notably reduces the risk, with protection above 90 % against cancers of the mouth-throat, anus and cervix.

Germany's Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO), at the Robert Koch Institute, recommends vaccinating girls and boys aged 9 to 14, because the vaccine works best before first sexual contact. Unvaccinated teenagers can catch up until 17 with insurance coverage. For people over 18, some health insurers cover the cost; the site itself invites you to ask your insurer. If you are over 18, ask your doctor whether it suits you.

Hepatitis A

According to LIEBESLEBEN, STIKO recommends hepatitis A vaccination for people at particularly high risk of infection, including people with frequently changing sexual partners, men who have sex with men, people with chronic liver disease and people who inject drugs. In those cases German insurers cover the vaccine, and many also cover it for travel to countries where hepatitis A is common.

Hepatitis B

The vaccine is recommended for babies from two months; unvaccinated children and teenagers should catch up as soon as possible, with coverage up to 17. For adults, LIEBESLEBEN says it can make sense for people at particularly high risk, with the same examples as for hepatitis A. Again, the decision is individual and made with a doctor.

What this means for lifestyle couples

The German site speaks of "frequently changing sexual partners" as a higher-risk group. If you share experiences with other people, it is reasonable to discuss it with your doctor and review your vaccination history together. Useful questions to bring:

• Am I vaccinated against hepatitis A and B? Do I need to complete or refresh a dose?
• Is the HPV vaccine suitable at my age, and what coverage does it have in my country?
• Which STI tests do you recommend for my level of exposure?
• If I travel to Germany, Austria or Switzerland, what should I bring or know in order to receive healthcare?

If you are unsure where you stand, ask for a copy of your vaccination record or check your country's registry. Hepatitis vaccines need several doses over weeks or months, so start in good time, not the day before travel.

Where vaccination fits in the rest of prevention

A vaccine does not replace condoms or testing: they are different layers of the same protection. Read our guide to talking about safer sex with your partner and other couples to see how to raise the subject, and our guide to STI testing and safer sex in Germany and Switzerland to see when and where to test. For general traveller vaccines, also see our guide to vaccines and STI tests before travelling.

A useful curiosity: Cologne, home of the BIÖG

The BIÖG is headquartered in Cologne, at Maarweg 149-161. If you are travelling in Germany, our Cologne for couples destination gives you ideas for combining a city break with health.

How to prepare for the appointment

Before the visit, gather your vaccination record (or photos of its pages), the list of medicines you take and an idea of your planned trips. Tell the doctor frankly that you share sexual experiences with other people: it is clinical information, not a judgement, and it lets them recommend suitable tests and vaccines. Ask them to write down the dates of each dose and the interval between them. If your doctor does not have the German recommendations to hand, international vaccination centres and your country's public-health services can advise on travel vaccines.

Sources (consulted on 7 November 2026)

• LIEBESLEBEN: Lass dich gegen STI impfen
• LIEBESLEBEN: Informationen zur HPV-Impfung
• LIEBESLEBEN: legal notice (BIÖG)

General information on German recommendations; ask your doctor which vaccines suit you.