Overview

• A JAMA Pediatrics study following 2,335 young women in Cincinnati from 2006 to 2023 found vaccine-type HPV infections fell 76% to 98% among vaccinated participants as coverage rose to 82%.
• Infections with vaccine-covered HPV types also dropped roughly 72% to 76% among unvaccinated women, indicating herd protection in a high-coverage, gender-neutral program.
• Researchers said the declines were driven by vaccination rather than shifts in sexual behavior, and they cautioned that herd effects can wane if uptake slips or transmission dynamics change.
• Pakistan’s first nationwide HPV campaign, launched September 15, has vaccinated millions of girls but recorded more than 3.6 million parental refusals, prompting an extension to October 1 and continued availability through December before transition to routine EPI services.
• Health experts report Pakistan logged about 4,700–4,800 cervical cancer cases and nearly 3,000 deaths in 2023—roughly eight deaths daily—and urge stronger community engagement to counter infertility myths and expand screening.