Single Dose HPV Vaccine May Provide Similar Protection to Women as Multiple Doses

One dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine may prevent infection from the potential cancer-causing virus, according to research published in

, from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Jama Network Open

The CDC has reported 34800 new cancer diagnoses linked to HPV annually, and the virus is predicted to account for more than 90% of all cervical and anal cancers, more than 60% of all penile cancers, and 70% of all oral cancers.

The study showed that a single dose of HPV vaccine may be as effective as the recommended 2 or 3 doses, although senior author Ashish A. Deshmukh, PhD, MPH, assistant professor at UTHealth School of Public Health, said it may be too early for patients to rely on a single dose of the vaccine.

“If ongoing clinical trials provide evidence regarding sustained benefits of a one-dose regimen, then implications of single-dose strategy could be substantial for reducing the burden of these cancers globally,” Deshmukh said in an interview with

.

UT Health News

The study participants included only women, yet the CDC recommends a 2-dose regimen for all children, starting the series before age 15 years or a 3-dose regimen if the series is started between ages 16 to 26 years. The latest generation of the HPV vaccine can protect against nearly 90% of cancer-causing HPV infections; however, half of the people in the United States are not vaccinated against the infection.

REFERENCE

Hawthorne, Wendi. Women with single dose of HPV vaccine gain similar protection as multiple doses.

. https://www.uth.edu/news/story.htm?id=19ae407d-0c3d-4f45-bbb2-9f9815d183f8. Published December 27, 2019. Accessed January 2, 2020.

UT Health News