Guanacaste’s contribution to culture, tourism, clean energy and gastronomy, among others, is widely recognized in the country, however, the contribution of this province goes much further, reaching the field of biomedical research.

Yes, science is being done in Guanacaste that benefits the health of women around the world. For years, this province has been a seedbed of huge research, carried out by the Costa Rican Agency for Biomedical Research, ACIB-FUNIN, mainly for the prevention of the human papillomavirus and cervical cancer.

ACIB-FUNIN scientists have been conducting research for over 30 years that benefit millions of people around the world, and Guanacaste and its inhabitants have played a key role in this.

For three decades, 24,000 Guanacastecans have participated in these studies, contributing altruistically to the search for solutions to prevent a cancer that kills more than 300,000 women worldwide every year.

Thanks to these research, Costa Rican scientists were able to corroborate more than 30 years ago that the human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for causing cervical cancer and determined the main risk factors associated with the infection and the disease, in addition, they evaluated multiple screening methods.

Years later, they demonstrated the efficacy and safety of the HPV vaccine, and even discovered that a single dose of the vaccine could offer the same protection against HPV infection as three doses.

These findings have been vital to the worldwide fight against cervical cancer and it is of pride that all this evidence has been generated in Costa Rica, because our country has been fundamental in the World Health Organization’s strategy to eliminate a cancer that is 100% preventable. Thank you, Guanacaste and thank you, Costa Rica, for having science in your DNA and for contributing to the development of the country by promoting health and research. Dra. Carolina Porras Gutiérrez Directora de Investigaciones Biomédicas de ACIB-FUNIN