Reduced HPV Vaccinations Series Endorsed

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published an updated Position Paper concerning vaccination against diseases caused by human papillomaviruses (HPVs).

Its primary focus is preventing cervical cancer, given the role of prophylactic HPV vaccination as a foundational pillar of the WHO Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem.

Published on December 16, 2022, this Paper incorporates recent information regarding HPV vaccines, including the licensure of new HPV vaccines and evidence on vaccine immunogenicity and effectiveness with reduced dose schedules.

A single dose of HPV vaccine is sufficient to elicit an immune response that provides similar protection as a multidose regimen, states this Paper.

This WHO recommendation differs from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) current three-option recommendation that includes a two-dose HPV vaccination series for adolescents at age 11 or 12 years.

It is estimated that implementing this strategy could prevent 60 million cervical cancer cases and 45 million deaths over the next 100 years.

Recommendations on the use of HPV vaccines were issued by the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization at its meeting in April 2022 and subsequently endorsed by WHO. 

This document replaces the WHO's 2017 Position Paper and contains off-label recommendations.

Evidence presented at this meeting and SAGE’s conflict of interest assessment can be accessed at https://www.who.int/ news-room/events/detail/2022/04/04/default-calendar/ sage_meeting_april_2022.

Globally, there are several types of HPV vaccines (9vHPV, 4vHPV, and/or 2vHPV) available.

In the U.S., HPV vaccination for adolescents has been recommended by the CDC for women since 2006 and for men since 2011.

Other HPV vaccination news is posted at PrecisionVaccinations.com/HPV.