What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to assess the costs and implications of HPV vaccination coverage globally, particularly in LMICs.

January 14, 2026Open Forum Infectious Diseases0 citationsOpen Access

P-721. Estimated Costs of Worldwide Vaccination for HPV

GSGabriel SamantaImperial College London NWNamwa WongkalasinQueen Elizabeth Hospital AHAndrew HillUniversity of Liverpool

Key Points

The aim is to assess the costs and implications of HPV vaccination coverage globally, particularly in LMICs.
Conducted an economic analysis using WHO, UNICEF, and PAHO data.
Compared costs of Gardasil-4, Gardasil-9, and generic HPV vaccines.
Analyzed scenarios including access to low prices for MPP-licensed countries.
Estimated costs for achieving 90% vaccination coverage for 9-year-olds.
Switching to generic vaccines could save up to $8.37 billion annually.
Branded vaccines could exceed health budgets in Cabotegravir-licensed countries.
Generic HPV vaccines could enable coverage exceeding current targets by 3.1 times.
Worldwide vaccination using single-dose generics estimated at $302M, 97% lower than current sales.

Abstract

Abstract Background In 2022 there were over 925, 000 cases of human papillomavirus (HPV) -related cancer, with over 75% occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). 350, 000 women die from cervical cancer annually. Highly effective HPV vaccines are available, with striking public health impact when uptake is high. The WHO aims for 90% coverage for women and girls worldwide, but coverage remains low (20% for adolescent girls, 7% for boys). Multiple barriers exist to reaching this target, with a key factor being cost. There is a gross variation between HPV vaccine prices, from 323 (nonvalent) to 2. 44 (generic quadrivalent), per dose. The patent for Gardasil is expected to expire around 2028. We conducted an economic analysis using projections of different vaccine programme scenarios to show the impact of pricing mechanisms on vaccine coverage. Methods We compared the cost of immunising with Gardasil-4, Gardasil-9, and generic alternatives using data from the WHO Vaccine Price dataset (2021-2023), UNICEF, and PAHO. Single-age cohort data for the estimated number of 9-year-olds were obtained from World Bank estimates. HPV vaccine use by country was collected from the WHO coverage dataset. The maximum purchasable number of doses of each of the three vaccines was calculated using respective vaccine costs and specific country budgets. Total costs for achieving 90% coverage were calculated using population and vaccine price data. Finally, we analysed a comparator scenario where countries included in the Medicine Patent Pool (MPP) Cabotegravir voluntary licenses could access HPV vaccines at consistently low prices for 124 LMICs, versus tiered pricing through GAVI. Results Switching to generic alternatives and single-age, single dose programmes could save up to 8. 37 billion per year. (Figure 1). In Cabotegravir-licensed countries, vaccinating 90% of children with branded vaccine costs surpass current health budgets. Generics could allow for coverage exceeding this target by 3. 1 times. Conclusion Worldwide vaccination of all 9-year-olds using single-dose generic HPV vaccines could cost 302M. This is 97% lower than the worldwide HPV vaccine sales of 8. 7 billion. Expanding mechanisms such as MPP-coordinated licencing to HPV vaccination could increase HPV vaccine access, particularly in LMICs. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

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