VinFuture Prize helps raise awareness of cancer prevention

DNVN - The VinFuture Prize, honoring the pioneering team of scientists developing the HPV vaccine, not only recognizes their years of dedicated research efforts but also serves to amplify the message about the importance of preventing cervical cancer and other cancers caused by the HPV virus.

Scientists Dr. Douglas R. Lowy, Prof. Maura L. Gillison, Dr. John T. Schiller and Dr. Aimee R. Kreimer were interviewed on the morning of December 6 at VinUni University.

Honoring the "silent" value of prevention

The greatest value of research, according to Dr. Douglas R. Lowy, lies in the positive impact they have on people they have never met – helping them live healthier and longer lives. Dr. John T. Schiller emphasized that the award honors disease prevention, an area that is often underappreciated.

“If you prevent a million cases of cancer in women, none of them will know that they could have gotten cancer, so prevention is silent and often overlooked. In contrast, information about cancer treatment and cure for patients is widely available in the media,” compared Dr. John T. Schiller.

Amplifying the message that vaccines are safe and effective

With its growing reputation, Dr. Aimee R. Kreimer expressed hope that the VinFuture Prize Committee’s decision to honor HPV vaccine research will help raise awareness, expand access, and strengthen understanding of the importance of this vaccine. Scientists believe that the VinFuture Prize can amplify the message to government officials, health departments , and the community that this vaccine is safe and can prevent cancer.

The HPV vaccine was licensed nearly 20 years ago and has been shown to be safe and protective in large-scale trials. Hundreds of millions of doses have been administered worldwide , and studies continue to monitor the vaccine’s safety. The data now overwhelmingly support the vaccine’s ability to prevent HPV infection, prevent precancerous lesions, and now prevent cancer.

Global Access Solution - Single-Dose Regimen

The big goal now is to get the vaccine to as many people as possible, as scaling up vaccination is key to making an impact. To reduce the overall cost of the vaccine and ease the logistical burden of its rollout, the team has spent the past 15 years investigating whether the original three-dose regimen could be reduced to a single dose.

The study, led by Dr. Aimee R. Kreimer, found that one dose of vaccine is sufficient. Dr. Douglas R. Lowy believes that this result, along with the recognition of VinFuture, will lead to a stronger recommendation from the World Health Organization (WHO) for one dose. This will greatly increase the rate of access and vaccination, because "one dose is definitely cheaper than two doses."

To reduce the burden of cervical cancer, scientists emphasize that two measures need to be implemented simultaneously: HPV vaccination for girls and cervical cancer screening for women. Vaccination is an investment in the future; it takes 10-15 years to see clear benefits. Meanwhile, screening helps detect precancerous lesions for early treatment, bringing benefits almost immediately and preventing women from progressing to cancer.

Prof. Maura L. Gillison also noted that HPV causes many other cancers in both men and women, such as anal and oropharyngeal cancers, for which there are currently no effective screening programs. Therefore, one of the most powerful benefits of the HPV vaccine is that it provides body-wide protection, reducing the risk of developing HPV-related cancers, regardless of location.

“We can help our daughter or son reduce the risk of getting a terrible cancer in the future by up to 90%, with just one injection,” Dr. John T. Schiller emphasized.

The scientists' sharing shows that the journey of researching and popularizing the HPV vaccine is not only a pure scientific effort, but also a strong commitment to public health on a global scale. VinFuture's recognition of this work not only recognizes the great contributions of scientists, but also contributes to bringing the message of cancer prevention closer to countries, health systems and families. When the HPV vaccine is more widely accessible and the single-dose regimen is promoted, humanity has more opportunities to move closer to the goal of dramatically reducing the cancer burden caused by HPV.

Hien Thao

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/cong-nghe/giai-thuong-vinfuture-giup-nang-cao-nhan-thuc-ve-phong-ngua-ung-thu/20251206090451398