South Africa's decade-old school HPV vaccination drive cuts infections sharply
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South Africa launched a school-based HPV vaccination program for girls in 2014 to protect against cervical cancer. Ten years on, the HOPE study, published in The Lancet Global Health, enrolled 2,357 girls aged 17–18 and compared infection rates before and after vaccination. HPV 16/18 infection was 83% lower in the vaccinated group than in the pre-vaccination group. Among girls living with HIV, infection fell from 29% to 4%, an 82% reduction. The findings indicate the national drive is delivering substantial protection, including in a population at elevated risk. Open questions include longer-term follow-up and whether the observed reductions translate into future declines in cervical cancer incidence.
Written by a model from the reports · updated 4 hours ago
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- Medical XpressPickSouth Africa's HPV vaccination drive to protect girls from cervical cancer is working—what we know after 10 years
South Africa's school-based HPV vaccination program, launched in 2014, has shown clear results after ten years, according to a study published in The Lancet Global Health. In the HOPE study of 2,357 girls aged 17–18, HPV 16/18 prevalence fell 83% in the vaccinated group versus the pre-vaccine group; among girls living with HIV, prevalence dropped from 29% to 4%, an 82% decline.
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