From the Guidelines
The recommended age for administering GARDASIL (Human Papillomavirus vaccine) to adults is through 45 years.
Key Points
- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends HPV vaccination for all persons through age 26 years who are not adequately vaccinated 1.
- For adults aged 27 through 45 years, the vaccine is safe, but the population benefit would be minimal, and some adults who are not adequately vaccinated might be at risk for new HPV infection and might benefit from vaccination in this age range 1.
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of 9-valent HPV vaccine (Gardasil 9) for men and women aged 26 to 45 years 1.
- The American Cancer Society (ACS) does not endorse the recommendation for shared clinical decision making for adults aged 27-45 years because of the low effectiveness and low cancer prevention potential of vaccination in this age group 1.
- The ACS recommends routine HPV vaccination at age 11 or 12 years, but vaccination can be given starting at age 9 years, and catch-up vaccination is recommended for all persons through age 26 years who are not adequately vaccinated 1.
Vaccination Schedule
- For persons initiating vaccination before the 15th birthday, the recommended immunization schedule is 2 doses of HPV vaccine, with the second dose administered 6 to 12 months after the first dose 1.
- Three doses are recommended for those who initiate the vaccination series at age 15 through 26 years and for immunocompromised persons 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
1.1 Girls and Women GARDASIL® 9 is a vaccine indicated in girls and women 9 through 45 years of age 1.2 Boys and Men GARDASIL 9 is indicated in boys and men 9 through 45 years of age 2.1 Dosage Age RegimenSchedule
- 15 through 45 years 3-dose0, 2,6 months
The recommended age for administering GARDASIL to adults is 15 through 45 years. The vaccine is administered in a 3-dose schedule at 0,2, and 6 months 2.
From the Research
Recommended Age for GARDASIL Administration to Adults
The recommended age for administering GARDASIL (Human Papillomavirus vaccine) to adults is as follows:
- Catch-up vaccination is recommended for all persons through age 26 years 3
- For persons aged 27 through 45 years, clinicians and patients should jointly decide whether HPV vaccination is appropriate 3
- Routine HPV vaccination at age 11 or 12 years (or as early as age 9 years) continues to be recommended 3, 4, 5, 6
- Vaccination is also recommended through age 26 years for men who have sex with men and for immunocompromised persons (including those with HIV infection) if not vaccinated previously 4
- For adults aged 18-35, barriers to HPV vaccination include belief that the vaccine is not necessary or not safe, and lack of provider recommendation 7
Key Considerations
- HPV vaccines are highly effective in preventing the transmission of HPV and thus downstream HPV-related lower genital tract neoplasias 5
- Several commercially available vaccines now exist, but only one is available in the United States 5
- Newer vaccination recommendations in expanded populations rely on patient-provider shared decision making 3, 5