A Fresh Look at HPV Vaccine Changes

The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently updated its recommendation for the HPV vaccine, suggesting just one dose instead of the usual two or three. This change comes after a review of global vaccine schedules, bypassing the usual lengthy process involving the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The Vaccine Integrity Project, an independent group based at the University of Minnesota, is now stepping in to review the scientific evidence behind this shift. This group was formed last year to provide unbiased reviews of vaccine data, especially after the ACIP was disbanded by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The new recommendation suggests that children should receive a single dose of the HPV vaccine at age 11. This change is supported by the World Health Organization, which also backs the idea that one dose might be enough to prevent most HPV-related cancers. However, many experts still have questions about whether a single dose is appropriate for everyone, including older teens, immunocompromised individuals, and boys versus girls.The Vaccine Integrity Project has already reviewed recommendations for flu, COVID-19, and RSV shots, as well as the use of hepatitis B vaccines. The group is funded by the Alumbra Innovations Foundation and does not accept any funding from the pharmaceutical industry. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, emphasized the importance of ensuring that policymakers, clinicians, and the public have an accurate understanding of the data. James Campbell, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, hopes that the independent review will help answer some of the nuanced questions surrounding the new recommendation. Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends two doses of the HPV vaccine for children aged 9-12, or three doses for teens who start the series after age 15. Merck's Gardasil, the only U. S. -licensed HPV vaccine, is approved based on two doses, and the drugmaker has stated that there is not enough data to support a single-dose regimen.