A new large-scale trial led by the National Cancer Institute and Costa Rica’s Agency for Biomedical Research demonstrates that a single dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine provides protection against the virus types most associated with cervical cancer that is nearly as strong as the protection offered by the traditional two-dose regimen.
The trial, involving more than 20,000 girls aged 12 to 16, tracked participants over five years and found that those who received just one dose had roughly 97 percent protection against the high-risk HPV strains, a level comparable to girls who received two doses.
Because persistent HPV infections, when not cleared, are known to lead to cervical cancer (along with some other cancers in both women and men), the findings suggest that a one-dose vaccination schedule might substantially simplify and expand global prevention efforts, especially in low- and middle-income countries where full vaccination remains a challenge.
Despite the promising results, the study only assessed prevention of the virus infection over the five-year period, not direct long-term cancer outcomes beyond the cervix or longer-term immune protection. Experts say longer follow-up is needed to verify that the one-dose schedule continues to protect against HPV over time and ultimately prevents cancer.
If the one-dose regimen holds up over time, it could transform public-health strategies for HPV vaccination by lowering logistical and financial barriers.
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