ATLANTA -- Children ages 11 and 12 only need two human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations to be adequately immunized, the CDC said Wednesday.
The agency's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted at its semiannual meeting to recommend a two-shot course for this age group, and CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, quickly made it official policy. The two doses should be given at least 6 months apart.
Older adolescents and young adults (ages 15-26) will still need three doses, the CDC said.
The new recommendation was based on studies indicating that two doses in 11- and 12-year-olds provided the same or better protection as young adults receiving three doses.
Earlier this month, the FDA had approved a two-dose schedule for the 9-valent HPV vaccine Gardasil for 9- to 14-year-olds.
"CDC encourages clinicians to begin implementing the 2-dose schedule in their practice to protect their preteen patients from HPV cancers," the agency said in a statement.
Frieden said the shortened schedule "will make it simpler for parents to get their children protected in time."