Brazil adopts single dose of HPV vaccine
Health Minister Nísia Trindade announced on Monday (Apr. 1) that HPV vaccination in Brazil will now be administered in a single dose. Previously, the country employed a two-dose regimen to combat the infection, which is the primary cause of cervical cancer.
"A single vaccine will provide lifelong protection against various types of diseases and cancers caused by HPV, such as cervical cancer. Let's not allow our children and young people to be at risk of these diseases as they grow up," wrote the minister on her X profile, formerly known as Twitter.
Trindade also urged states and municipalities to actively seek out young people up to the age of 19 who have not yet received a dose of the vaccine. She noted that 5.6 million doses of the vaccine were administered in 2023, “the highest number since 2018 and a 42 percent increase compared to 2022.”
"We now have more vaccines to protect our population against the risks caused by this virus. The decision to use only one dose of the vaccine was based on scientific studies and is in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO)," she said.
Who can get vaccinated
In Brazil, immunization is currently recommended for boys and girls aged 9 to 14, victims of sexual abuse aged 15 to 45 (both men and women) who have not been previously immunized, people living with HIV, solid organ and bone marrow transplant recipients, and cancer patients aged 9 to 45.
The infection
HPV is currently the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide and the primary cause of cervical cancer. The ministry estimates that approximately 17,000 women are diagnosed with the disease in Brazil each year.
Despite being a preventable disease, it is still the fourth most common type of cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in women, particularly among black individuals, those with low income, and those with low levels of formal education.
