Simplified HPV vaccine schedule approved by drug regulator

A simplified vaccination schedule for an imported HPV vaccine has been approved by China's top drug regulator, allowing more convenient and cost-effective health protection for females.

The new schedule (a first shot followed by a second 6 to 12 months later) for the Human Papillomavirus nine-valent vaccine is targeted for adolescents between 9 and 14, and was based on the previous three-dose schedule for those aged 9 to 45 years, for better health prevention and control of one of the most common gynaecological malignancies.

Previously, the two dose scheme for 2-valent shots was available in Shanghai through community health centers starting in early 2023.

In Shanghai, one shot of 9-valent vaccine costs around 1,300 yuan at district level health-care service centers and selected private hospitals, and the simplified scheme could mean around one-third less cost than the previous option.

The latest grant by the China National Medical Products Administration has expanded the use of the imported vaccine against the 9-valent of the cancer-causing human papillomavirus to girls as young as nine and adults up to age 45.

Medical experts have called on wider coverage of the vaccination as a crucial part of gynaecological disease prevention and control.

Vaccination is the key measure for a nationwide 2030 blueprint of promoting cervical cancer prevention and treatment, and the new schemes are believed to further boost the promotion and easier access of HPV vaccination.

Qiao Youlin, a member of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and a professor at the Peking Union Medical College & School of Group Medicine and Public Health, said: "For Chinese girls aged 9 to 14 years, the simplified two-dose vaccination schedule streamlines the vaccination process, and grants more vaccine resources.

"This will further boost the vaccination rate among young females in China, contributing to accelerating the elimination of cervical cancer in China," he added.