Activating for HPV vaccines at the World Vaccine Congress

Global HPV Consortium Partner Chiricahua celebrated their Vaccine Program Manager Kelsey Vincent, RN, (center) winning a second Big Shot Award from the Arizona Partnership for Immunizations. Kelsey received the award for spearheading innovative practices to increase uptake, such as integrating vaccination in dental services for vaccines such as the HPV vaccine. 

At the recent World Vaccine Congress in Washington, D.C., the first-day workshop on HPV elimination hosted by Global HPV Consortium partner Merck (known outside the U.S. as MSD) featured a panel discussion on headwinds and tailwinds for HPV vaccines, addressing such issues as making up for reductions in global vaccine funding and proposed legislation among some U.S. states to restrict vaccines.The panel featured GHC partner Becton Dickinson (BD) along with long-time GHC collaborator the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). The second half of the session involved a tabletop exercise where attendees ranked public policy actions that would meaningfully contribute to eliminating HPV cancers across the care continuum. The attendees reached consensus on policy proposals aimed at increasing education and awareness about HPV cancers and prevention, increasing reimbursement for HPV vaccination, improving immunization registry forecasting to promote the vaccine at age 9 and reporting of vaccination, opening more pathways for pharmacists to administer the vaccines, establishing mobile and school-based vaccine clinics, and expanding health insurance coverage of cancer screening, early detection, diagnostic and treatment care.

The takeaway: No single action will be enough; all partners must work together to safeguard the progress achieved and accelerate efforts toward elimination. By amplifying survivor voices, advancing bold policy solutions, and building coalitions, we can make progress building awareness that HPV cancers are preventable.