HPV Vaccines: A Preemptive Strike in the War on Cancer

Head of our Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program, Professor John Rasko AO and Centenary’s Scientific Advisory Board Member, Professor Ian Frazer AC in collaboration with Dr Doug Sipp from the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB) in Japan have co-authored an opinion piece published in the prestigious journal Cell titled ‘No Vacillation on HPV Vaccination’.

The article tackles the issue of disparity in the implementation of human papillomavirus virus (HPV) immunization programs globally. “Evidence of the safety and protective benefits of human papillomavirus virus (HPV) vaccines as an anti-cancer measure is overwhelming. However, vaccine uptake varies widely across countries and falls short of levels needed to achieve population immunity”, say the authors.

“There is overwhelming evidence that human papillomaviruses (HPV) are responsible for diverse preventable cancers, accounting for 4.5% of all new cancers occurring worldwide and that extensive clinical testing and post-market experience have shown that HPV vaccines deliver safe and durable protection against these tumorigenic viruses.

However, despite compelling objective evidence of benefit, vaccination rates and policies differ markedly in different countries consequent to apparent happenstance.” The authors address strategies for the promotion of wider protective HPV immunization globally in the article.

Toward a Future Free of HPV Cancers

Read the full opinion piece published in the prestigious Cell journal