Updated World Health Organization position paper on HPV vaccine schedule includes single-dose recommendation

In December 2022, WHO issued an updated position paper on HPV vaccine schedules, incorporating the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) endorsement of a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule for the primary target of girls aged 9-14 years old and for young women aged 15-20 years old. The paper summarized available data supporting the use of a single dose of HPV vaccine and reinforced the potential benefits of a single-dose strategy, including reduced costs and wider coverage. To review an analysis of the evidence that led to the WHO endorsement, visit the HPV Single Dose consortium webpage.

Translations now available for HPV Single-Dose Consortium resources

The 2022 Evidence Review by the Single-Dose HPV Evaluation Consortium collated, synthesized, and evaluated evidence that contributed to the WHO SAGE endorsement of a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule in the primary target group. Translations of this Evidence Review’s companion materials are now available. Visit the General Summary and Technical Synthesis resource pages to view these materials in French, Spanish, and Chinese. A slide deck summary of the evidence is available in French.

New consortium aims to accelerate global coverage of HPV vaccination

The HPV Vaccine Acceleration Program Partners Initiative (HAPPI) Consortium was recently established to increase and sustain equity, program quality, and accelerate coverage of HPV vaccination in low- and middle-income countries. The consortium strives to contribute to the Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, goal of vaccinating 84 million girls and adolescents by 2025 and support the global goal of 90 percent HPV vaccination coverage by 2030.

JSI is leading the HAPPI Consortium and working in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative, the International Vaccine Access Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Jhpiego, and PATH. The consortium will focus on enabling evidence-based policy decisions; enhancing and sustaining equity; improving program quality; providing direct technical assistance in selected countries; and monitoring, evaluating, and learning to build on the evidence base.

New Cervical Precancer Planning Tool aids in screening and treatment decisions

To assist country decision-makers in evaluating various screening and treatment programs, PATH and its partners developed a scenario-based Cervical Precancer Planning Tool. This interactive Excel model explores both screening and treatment programs, and it has scenarios for each that can be compared. The screening component evaluates the number of women screened, the screening accuracy, and the associated costs for four different screening approaches. The treatment component evaluates the number of women treated for precancerous lesions, the number of units of treatment equipment needed by type, and the associated costs for five different equipment deployment scenarios.  It currently contains adjustable baseline data for 14 countries, though it can be adapted for use by any low- and lower-middle income country. The tool is explored in more detail in a recent article featured in BMC Health Services Research.