National HPV vaccination program would provide big benefits

(credit: Global Panorama)

The HPV vaccine provides effective protection from the human papilloma virus and the cancers it can induce. Because HPV is transmitted sexually, inclusion in mandatory vaccination schedules has been a controversial issue, and legislation varies by state. Complicating matters further, companies have continued to improve the vaccine, expanding the list of viral strains that it protects against. A new study in PNAS finds that having states require the latest, most protective HPV vaccine for girls and boys would be highly cost-effective and would lead to better health outcomes at the national level.

HPV is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection in the US, with over 100 viral strains circulating in the population. Over half of cervical cancer cases in the US are thought to be caused by HPV, which can also cause vaginal cancer, penile cancer, anal cancer, and cancers of the mouth and throat.

Fortunately, several vaccines for HPV are now available, including bivalent, quadrivalent, and nonavalent—these protect against two, four, and nine strains of HPV respectively. These vaccines can protect women from 66-81 percent of cervical cancers, depending on the number of strains that are included in the formulation.

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