Join PATH at the 36th International Papillomavirus Conference

Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death among women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and nearly all cases can be attributed to HPV. Since their launch in 2006, HPV vaccines have been the primary prevention tool to accelerate cervical cancer elimination.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the introduction of these safe and highly effective vaccines in all national immunization programs. For 30 years, PATH has been at the forefront of accelerating evidence-based approaches to cervical cancer prevention—from HPV vaccine research and delivery to cervical cancer screening and treatment—with a focus on the communities most impacted by this disease.

IPVC 2024 will be held November 12 to 15 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, under the theme “Equitable, Evidence-Based Approaches to HPV Disease.” PATH’s presentations at IPVC will share findings from recent work that reflect this important theme. For instance, two oral presentations will discuss strategies for overcoming barriers to HPV vaccine implementation and using partnerships to scale-up access to HPV vaccines in LMICs.

In addition, three poster presentations will share learnings from HPV vaccine introduction in Bangladesh and activities to increase HPV vaccination coverage in Senegal and The Gambia.

IPVC will also feature evidence and updates related to single-dose HPV vaccination. An oral presentation will highlight final results from a study of Cecolin®—Xiamen Innovax Biotech Co.’s bivalent HPV vaccine that received WHO prequalification in 2021—investigating the vaccine’s performance in LMICs using extended and alternative dosing schedules.

These important findings informed the WHO’s recent decision to add a single-dose indication for Cecolin in their guidance document for HPV vaccine use. Another oral presentation will share recent estimates for potential immunization program cost savings when implementing a single-dose schedule.

During the week of IPVC, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute will publish a peer-reviewed monograph updating the state of the science on single-dose HPV vaccination since the WHO endorsed an alternative single-dose schedule in 2022.

PATH helped coordinate the development of the monograph and contributed papers to the publication. Several researchers who contributed to the monograph, including members of the PATH-coordinated Single-Dose HPV Vaccine Evaluation Consortium, will present highlights at a 90-minute virtual session, which will be available for IPVC participants to view online during IPVC and for three months after the conference concludes.

See below for a schedule of PATH-related presentations at the conference. (All times listed in Greenwich Mean Time.)