How often does an update from the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) mean that your kids will need fewer shots?
Not that often…
But at their October meeting, the ACIP did recommend that preteens needed only two rounds of HPV vaccine, instead of three.
This follows FDA approval for Gardasil 9 on a 2-dose regimen for individuals 9 through 14 years of age in early October.
Remember that children who are at least 9 years old (traditionally 11 or 12 year old boys and girls) have traditionally gotten three doses of Gardasil, with:
- the second dose at least 1 to 2 months after the first dose, and
- the third dose at least 6 months after the first dose
With the new recommendations, if your child is under 15 years old when getting the first dose, then he or she will need only two doses of HPV vaccine to complete the series, with the second dose 6 to 12 months after the first.
What if your child has already gotten three doses? Then your child is well protected against HPV.
If your child has already gotten a second dose 1 to 2 months after the first, then they will have to wait to get the third dose following the 3 dose original schedule. The same goes if your child is already at least 15 years old. Neither will benefit from the new recommendation.
In other news about the HPV vaccines:
- Gardasil HPV Vaccine Safety Assessed In Most Comprehensive Study To Date
- HPV vaccine effectiveness – even better than we thought
- New Study Shows HPV Vaccine Is Safe
- Large study supports safety of Gardasil HPV vaccine
And remember that it is no longer news that Gardasil, a vaccine that can prevent cancer, was approved by the FDA. That happened over ten years ago – June 2006.
It should also no longer be news that the HPV vaccines are well studied and in continuing studies have only been found to cause mild side effects, just like most other vaccines.
In other vaccine news, GSK will no longer sell its HPV vaccine Cervarix in the United States because of low market demand – i.e. competition from Gardasil.
For More Information On HPV Vaccines:
- FDA – Gardasil 9
- ACIP – Use of 9-Valent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine: Updated HPV Vaccination Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
- CDC recommends only two HPV shots for younger adolescents
- ACIP updates recommendations on HPV, HepB, MenB vaccines
- HPV Vaccine Safety and Acceptance
- Questioning Whether To Get Your Child the HPV Vaccine?
- Do the new Merck HPV ads guilt-trip parents or tell hard truths? Both.