Two-dose Regimen for HPV Vaccinations Endorsed

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is supporting a two-dose human papillomavirus (HPV) schedule for boys and girls who initiate the vaccine between the ages 9 to 14.

This support comes after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the slimmed-down schedule in October 2016.

The ACS now endorses the updated recommendation as follows:

• For persons initiating vaccination before the 15th birthday, the recommended immunization schedule is two doses of HPV vaccine.
• The second dose should be administered 6 to 12 months after the first dose.
• Those ages 15 to 26 still require a 3-dose series for full protection.

"In the past several years, studies have shown the vaccine is even more effective than expected," said Debbie Saslow, PhD, Senior Director, HPV Related and Women's Cancers for the American Cancer Society.

"This new two-dose regimen is easier to follow, and we now know is very effective in preventing HPV, which is linked to a half dozen types of cancer."

Despite strong evidence of safety and effectiveness, vaccination rates in the US remains very low compared to other countries, with only 28% of boys and 42% of girls ages 13 to 17 years receiving the recommended 3 doses in 2015.

HPV can cause cervical cancer, which is the fourth most common cancer in women, with an estimated 266,000 deaths and 528,000 new cases worldwide in 2012. Other cancers associated with HPV include cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus, and oropharynx (cancers of the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils).

There are safe and effective HPV vaccines. The FDA has approved three vaccines, which are

• Merck's Gardasil
• Merck’s Gardasil 9
• GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix

The updated schedule is published in the ACS's annual screening update, which appears in: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Article: Cancer Screening in the United States, 2017: A Review of Current American Cancer Society Guidelines and Current Issues in Cancer Screening, Smith et al. CA: Can J Clin doi: 10.3322/caac.21392.

No conflicts of interest were disclosed.