17 years of surveillance in 2,335 adolescent girls and young women showed that HPV vaccination sharply reduced vaccine-type infections. Vaccinated patients experienced declines of 98% for HPV-16/18, 94% for HPV-6/11/16/18, and 76% for nine-valent types. Unvaccinated patients also showed decreases consistent with herd protection, including a 72% reduction in HPV-16/18. Vaccine coverage rose from 0% in 2006 to 82% by 2023. Researchers noted herd protection occurred even in patients with high-risk sexual behaviors. Editorialists urged scaling up vaccination programs and maintaining population-level monitoring.

Source: JAMA Pediatrics and Editorial