On March 9, 2025, those walking along Avenida Paulista were impacted by the “HPV Awareness Campaign”, which gave the public the opportunity to interact with specialists and ask questions about the virus’s transmission, prevention, diseases associated with infection, the types of cancer the virus can cause, the importance of screening tests, vaccination, and other relevant information.
The initiative was carried out by the Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (ICESP) in partnership with FIESP and the International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS) as part of the agenda for International HPV Awareness Day, celebrated on March 4. The campaign was led by Dr. Lara Termini, a researcher at the Center for Translational Research in Oncology (CTO) at ICESP and the Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP). The event brought together a team of HPV specialists, including Professors Luisa Villa and Laura Sichero, also researchers at the CTO at ICESP, along with doctors, nurses, and graduate students from ICESP, FMUSP, and partner institutions.
Reflecting on the campaign’s impact, Dr. Lara Termini commented: “The widespread dissemination of accurate information to the public and broad HPV vaccination can significantly reduce infections and HPV-related cancers, which still affect a large portion of the Brazilian population. It is also important to remember that preventive screening, especially for cervical cancer, is crucial for detecting the disease at early stages, when the chances of a cure are high. In this sense, initiatives like last Sunday’s campaign have a very positive impact.”
During the event, children and young people aged 9 to 19 were able to receive the quadrivalent HPV vaccine. A total of 24 children and adolescents were vaccinated. Vaccination is the best form of protection against infection, helping to prevent HPV-related cancers, such as cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers, as well as genital warts.
The event also featured interactive theater performances and the distribution of a special edition of Turma da Mônica Jovem comic book on HPV vaccination, produced by ICESP in partnership with the Instituto Mauricio de Sousa and C2PO. The comic book (in Portuguese) is available for free download on the ICESP website after completing a short form.
For those who were unable to attend the event, the AskAboutHPV website provides reliable information about HPV, its transmission and prevention, the cancers caused by the virus, and relevant information for different segments of the population. Additionally, the Brazilian Ministry of Health’s HPV webpage offers details on symptoms, treatments, and who is eligible for free vaccination through the Brazilian public health system (SUS).
The campaign was supported by A.C.Camargo Cancer Center, the Brazilian Group of Gynecological Tumors, the Instituto Lado a Lado pela Vida, the São Paulo Municipal Health Department, and the Brazilian Society of Immunizations.
