July 19, 2022
Research finds single-dose HPV vaccine to be highly effective
In the 15 years since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first HPV vaccine, access to cervical cancer vaccines worldwide has been limited by supply and cost challenges and inhibited by the multi-dose nature of the vaccines. However, a recent study, led in part by several researchers from the University of Washington, determined the sufficiency of a single-dose HPV vaccine through a randomized controlled trial in Kenya.
Cervical cancer is a widespread issue that kills one woman every two minutes. The trial was conducted in Kenya due to the high percentage of cervical cancer in African countries compared to the rest of the world.
The trial consisted of 2,275 women between the ages of 15 and 20 being given a randomly assigned strain of different HPV vaccines and followed over the course of about three years. Participants met eligibility requirements by being sexually active, having less than five lifetime sexual partners, being HIV-negative and having never received the HPV vaccine. The results showed an overall protection from multiple strains of the virus, at least in the short term.
The positive findings of this trial will likely increase the rate at which vaccines are distributed to women, especially in countries facing high HPV rates and simultaneous access limitations. The single-dose vaccine is a positive step toward the goal of eliminating cervical cancer permanently.