Overview

• A JAMA Pediatrics study tracking more than 2,300 young women in Cincinnati from 2006 to 2023 found sharp drops in vaccine‑type HPV as vaccination coverage rose to 82%.
• Among vaccinated participants, infections fell 98% with the 2‑valent vaccine, 94% with the 4‑valent vaccine, and 76% with the 9‑valent vaccine.
• Unvaccinated women recorded 72% to 76% declines in HPV types covered by earlier vaccines, evidence consistent with herd protection in a gender‑neutral program.
• Researchers said the reductions reflect vaccination rather than shifts in sexual behavior and cautioned that herd effects for the 9‑valent vaccine are not yet confirmed.
• Pakistan has begun its first national HPV vaccination campaign and continues to face underreporting, misinformation and a significant cervical cancer burden, with thousands of cases and deaths reported in 2023.