Question

Regarding the HPV vaccine, which of the following statements is INCORRECT?

• A. It guarantees 100% complete protection against cervical cancer
• B. The primary target group for vaccination is girls aged 9-14 years
• C. A single-dose schedule is now endorsed by WHO and national guidelines for the targeted age group
• D. It is highly immunogenic, with high seroconversion rates in the target age group

Hint:

No vaccine is 100% - HPV jabs cover the major genotypes, not all of them.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Review HPV vaccine facts.
The HPV vaccine is recommended primarily for girls aged 9-14 years (before sexual debut). The WHO SAGE and national programmes now accept a single-dose schedule for this age group, and the vaccine is highly immunogenic.

Step 2: Spot the incorrect statement.
No vaccine provides 100% complete protection. HPV vaccines cover the high-risk genotypes (e.g., 16 and 18, responsible for ~70% of cervical cancers, plus additional types in nonavalent vaccines) but do not protect against every oncogenic HPV type. Therefore the claim of complete/100% protection is incorrect, and cervical screening must continue.

Step 3: Confirm the valid statements.
The 9-14 target group, single-dose schedule (WHO/national), and high immunogenicity are all correct.

Key fact: HPV vaccine markedly reduces but does not eliminate cervical cancer risk - it is not 100% protective, so screening remains essential.