A Single Dose for Future Generations: The Changing Landscape of HPV Vaccination and the Effectiveness of a One-Dose Schedule

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is a key strategy for preventing cervical cancer and other HPVrelated malignancies. Although conventional vaccination schedules require multiple doses, accumulating evidence supports the effectiveness and durability of a single-dose schedule. This review examines the evidence supporting one-dose HPV vaccination and its potential public health benefits. Findings from major studies in Kenya, Costa Rica, India, and Tanzania demonstrate sustained protection against persistent high-risk HPV infection and strong immunogenicity following a single dose. Long-term follow-up studies have reported vaccine efficacy comparable to two- or three-dose schedules, supporting recent changes in global vaccination policy. A single-dose strategy can simplify vaccine delivery, reduce healthcare and programmatic costs, improve adherence, and increase vaccination coverage, particularly in low- and middleincome countries. It may also reduce logistical barriers and promote greater health equity. Wider implementation, supported by continued surveillance and long-term effectiveness studies, could accelerate progress toward the World Health Organization’s goal of cervical cancer elimination as a public health problem.