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The World Health Organization's vaccine experts recommended Tuesday that countries consider routine vaccination against HPV in girls as young as 4, provided it helps improve lagging vaccine coverage.
Some 165 countries have introduced the human papillomavirus vaccine, said Anthony Scott, who chairs the WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE).
"However, the global HPV vaccine coverage, at 33%, is far short of the global target we're looking for, which is 90%," he told reporters.
HPV vaccination is a priority for all girls aged 9 to 14, according to the WHO.
In 2022, SAGE recommended a one- or two-dose schedule for girls aged 9 to 14; the same for young women aged 15 to 20; and two doses with a six-month interval for women over 21.
After reviewing updated evidence, SAGE decided the single-dose vaccine schedule for girls aged 9 to 14 was the most efficient way to reach the global target.
"Countries may also consider routine vaccination (for) girls aged 4 to 8 years if this is likely to result in increased vaccination uptake and coverage," said Scott.
Caused by persistent infection with HPV, cervical cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in women globally, with some 604,000 new cases and around 280,000 deaths in 2024, according to the WHO.
By the end of 2025, more than 95 million girls had received HPV vaccines, said Kate O'Brien, head of the WHO's vaccines department.
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