One shot or two? What to know about HPV vaccination recommendations
Preteens may soon have something to celebrate: Medical experts are discussing the possibility that one dose of a life-saving cancer vaccine, instead of two, may be enough to protect them.
Medical experts are discussing whether a single dose of the HPV vaccine, previously given in two doses, may be enough to protect preteens. U.S. vaccination guidelines have been inconsistent recently, with disagreements among federal officials and doctors. HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S., can cause genital warts and is a leading cause of certain cancers, including cervical and anal cancer.
The first HPV vaccine, Gardasil, was approved by the FDA in 2006, followed by Cervarix in 2009. Initially, the vaccine was recommended for girls aged 11-12 as a three-dose series, but in 2011, boys were added to the target age group. In 2016, the number of recommended doses was reduced from three to two after studies showed that two doses provided sufficient protection.
Research has shown a significant decrease in HPV infections, genital warts cases, and precancerous cervical lesions since then. The American Cancer Society updated its guidelines in 2020, raising the age for cervical cancer screenings to 25, attributing this change to the drop in cervical changes due to vaccinations. Studies have also found that HPV vaccines have reduced the risk of genital-area cancers in women and nearly 50% lower risk in vaccinated males.
The duration of protection from the vaccine is also long, with individuals in their 20s and 30s still seeing protection. However, HPV vaccination rates remain lower than other adolescent vaccines, partly due to states not requiring it for school attendance. HPV shots are known to have a sharper sting, causing fainting more frequently.
In January, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., appointed as U.S. health secretary, attempted to reduce the recommended number of HPV doses to one, a move that was blocked by a federal judge. Nonetheless, medical experts have been considering this possibility for some time, with a study in Costa Rica suggesting a single shot provides about 97% protection against cervical cancer.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is also evaluating the potential for a guidance change regarding the sufficiency of one dose for girls and at what age vaccination should begin.
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