WHO expert: Young women only need one HPV injection is enough

A single shot of the vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, could provide girls and women under 21 with the equivalent of two doses of vaccine, immunization experts at the World Health Organization say

"This could be a game-changer for disease prevention, allowing more girls to have more access to life-saving injections,

More than 95% of cervical cancers are caused by the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV), the fourth most common cancer type in women worldwide

The disease is almost entirely preventable and is often referred to as the "silent killer

The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) assessed new evidence that single-dose regimens are comparable to two- or three-dose regimens

They concluded that one shot can effectively protect the body from HPV infection

"SAGE urges all countries to introduce the HPV vaccine," the group's president, Alejandro cravoto, said Monday

"These recommendations will allow more girls and women to be vaccinated, thereby preventing them from developing cervical cancer and all its consequences throughout their lives

SAGE recommends a one- or two-dose regimen for girls ages 9 to 14; younger women ages 15 to 20; and women over 21 to take two doses, 6 months apart

If feasible, immunocompromised people should receive three injections

The new recommendations replace the old guidelines of two doses for girls aged 9 to 14 and three doses for girls and women aged 15 and older

In 2020, more than 340,000 women died of cervical cancer

"I am a firm believer that it is possible to eliminate cervical cancer," said WHO Assistant Director-General Nono Simera

"This single-dose recommendation has the potential to bring us closer to our goal of vaccinating 90 percent of girls by 2030.

Due to supply challenges, the cost of delivering two doses of the vaccine and the exclusion of older girls from routine childhood immunization programmes, the global uptake of the vaccine has been slow, falling well short of the 2030 target

The vaccine supply situation is improving in the short and medium term, SAGE said
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Girls between the ages of 9 and 14 should be the main target for vaccination, followed by older girls and women who missed out on vaccinations, the group said
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Vaccinations (one or two doses) for boys and men should be carefully managed until there is an unrestricted vaccine supply, SAGE said
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