Title: Spain Adopts One-Dose HPV Vaccination Strategy: A Comprehensive Overview
Meta Description: Discover how Spain is updating its HPV vaccination strategy. Learn about the new one-dose recommendation, its benefits, and implementation across different regions.
Spain’s Ministry of Health, through its Standing Committee on Vaccination Programmes and Vaccination Registry of the Public Health Commission of the National Health System Interterritorial Council, has revised and updated its recommendations for the HPV vaccination strategy. The new guidelines, issued in July 2024, recommend a one-dose scheme, aligning with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) strategy and that of 61 countries worldwide.
Historical Context
Since its approval in 2007, the HPV vaccination strategy in Spain has evolved, initially incorporating systematic vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV), followed by revising the age of vaccination and including boys in 2022. The latest update now recommends a one-dose scheme for most recipients.
Key Updates
The new document reviews crucial aspects of the one-dose vaccination scheme, including:
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Immunogenicity and efficacy/effectiveness: The guidelines provide an updated scientific overview of the one-dose HPV vaccine scheme, considering the WHO’s recommendations and the experiences of countries that have adopted this strategy.
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Vaccination in women undergoing cervical treatment: The document suggests a three-dose schedule (0, 1-2, and 6 months) before initiating treatment, with a preference for administering the doses before treatment commences.
- Recommendations from the WHO and neighboring countries: The WHO’s December 2022 position paper on HPV vaccination emphasizes that one dose offers similar efficacy and duration of protection as a two-dose scheme. Additionally, several countries, including Australia, the UK, Ireland, and Estonia, have transitioned to a one-dose strategy.
Implementation in Spain
Several regions, such as Andalusia, Aragon, Canary Islands, Catalonia, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, and Basque Country, have started implementing the new one-dose scheme. It is expected that all regions will follow suit during 2025.
Recommendations for Different Groups
The updated guidelines recommend:
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A one-dose scheme for girls and boys aged 12, with catch-up vaccination for those not vaccinated until age 18.
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One-dose vaccination for individuals with specific risk situations up to the age of 45, including men who have sex with men and individuals in prostitution.
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A three-dose scheme for immunocompromised individuals belonging to specific risk groups until age 45, with changes in the vaccination scheme depending on the individual’s circumstances.
- A three-dose scheme for women, irrespective of age, who have received any treatment for high-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN2+), preferably before initiating treatment.
Sources:
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Spanish Ministry of Health. (2024). HPV vaccination recommendations: One-dose strategy. Retrieved from Link
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World Health Organization. (2022). Position paper on HPV vaccination. Retrieved from Link
- More information
Additional Reading:
- HPV vaccination schedules worldwide: Interactive map
