Dr. Beachler on HPV Vaccine Efficacy Among Previously Exposed Individuals

Dan Beachler, MD, fellow at the National Cancer Institute, discusses the efficacy of the HPV vaccine on individuals who have been previously exposed to the virus compared to those who have not.

In a randomized controlled trial, individuals were vaccinated for HPV between the ages of 18 and 25. In this age group, many individuals have already been exposed to HPV, said Beachler. HPV can occur at the cervical, anal, and oral sites.

As expected, the strongest protection from the vaccine was seen in individuals who had never been exposed to HPV. However, there was significant efficacy across multiple sites among individuals who had evidence of previous HPV exposure.