WHO Approves HPV Vaccine For Single-dose Use

World Health Organization, (WHO) has announced that a fourth WHO-prequalified human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine product, Cecolin® has been confirmed for use in a single-dose schedule.

According to the statement released by the organisation on Friday, the decision was made based on new data on the product that fulfilled the criteria set out in the WHO’s 2022 recommendations for alternative, off-label use of HPV vaccines in single-dose schedules.

Speaking more on the issue, the Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, disclosed that the important milestone is meant to contribute to improving sustainable supply of HPV vaccines; allowing more girls to be reached with the vaccines that prevent cervical cancer.

In his words, “Unlike most other cancers, we have the ability to eliminate cervical cancer, along with its painful inequities, by adding another option for a one-dose HPV vaccination schedule, we have taken another step closer to consigning cervical cancer to history.”

He emphasized that more than 95 percent of the 660,000 cervical cancer cases occurring globally each year are caused by HPV.

The statement disclosed that every two minutes, a woman dies from the preventable disease globally, and 90 percent the deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

It noted that of the 20 hardest hit countries by cervical cancer, 19 are in Africa.

Also, Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO, Dr. Kate O’Brien, stated that having 90 percent of girls fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by 15 years of age is the target for the first pillar of the WHO global strategy for cervical cancer elimination.

”Continuing supply challenges, this addition of single-dose vaccine product means countries will have greater choice of vaccines to reach more girls,” she said.

She went further to explain that the growing number of vaccine products initially prequalified for use in a 2-dose schedule can now be used in a single-dose schedule.

WHO’s record has it that global data released on July 15, 2024 indicated that the one dose HPV vaccine coverage among girls aged 9-14 years increased from 20 percent in 2022 to 27 percent in 2023.

“In 2023, 37 countries were implementing the single-dose schedule. As of 10 September 2024, 57 countries are implementing the single-dose schedule,” WHO stated.

It estimated that the single-dose schedule adoption has resulted in at least 6 million additional girls being reached with HPV vaccines in 2023.