HPV research bolsters case for vaccine as misinformation battle intensifies

By Tala Ahmadi and Ashleigh Furlong 

Vaccination against a common virus that causes cervical cancer is highly effective, new research shows, providing welcome evidence for health-care providers as they try to counter misinformation around the shots. 

HPV vaccination reduces the incidence of cervical cancer by about 80 per cent in people vaccinated at or before the age of 16, according to findings published Monday in two Cochrane reviews, which combine evidence from multiple studies and are considered the gold-standard of research.

 

Protection remains significant when the vaccine is given later, though the reduction in cancer risk is lower, according to the research.

 

The new evidence comes as vaccination rates for human papillomavirus, or HPV, are dropping. That’s particularly the case since 2020, with misinformation spreading on social media, according to Jo Morrison, gynecological oncology consultant at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and senior author on the reviews. 

 

“The phenomenon of misinformation leading to reduced vaccination rates is worldwide, and there have been vaccine scares in other countries that have had really very massive impacts on vaccine uptake,” she said. 

 

The reviews found no evidence to support claims circulated online that the HPV vaccine causes side effects including infertility, myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome), or premature ovarian failure. 

 

Cervical cancer is the fourth-most common cancer in women globally. Even in the UK — which has a long-standing screening program —  it results in nearly a 1,000 deaths a year. 

 

Despite the vaccine’s effectiveness, uptake varies widely. Globally, coverage of girls with at least one dose of the HPV vaccine was 21 per cent in 2022. One of the most commonly used HPV vaccines is produced by Merck & Co.

 

Although cervical cancer mainly affects people with a cervix, HPV can also cause infections and related diseases in men and boys, including genital warts and certain head, neck, and anal cancers. 

 

Because the vaccine prevents infection rather than treats it, it works best when given before sexual activity begins, typically in early adolescence.