June 6, 2017
HPV Vaccine – What You Need to Know
The HPV vaccine is a vaccine that protects against a variety of human papillomavirus infections that are sexually transmitted. HPV is more common than most people realize, as the CDC points out, “About 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV. About 14 million people become newly infected each year. HPV is so common that most sexually-active men and women will get at least one type of HPV at some point in their lives.” HPV is often referred to as the “cervical cancer” vaccine but it protects both men and women from various forms of cancer and sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, the HPV vaccine protects against cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, anus, throat, tongue, tonsils, and penis.
The HPV vaccine can be administered as early as age 9 in both girls and boys and can be administered into early adulthood. The CDC elaborates on who should receive the HPV vaccine, and when, “HPV vaccine is approved by FDA and is recommended by CDC for both males and females. It is routinely given at 11 or 12 years of age, but it may be given beginning at age 9 years through age 26 years. Most adolescents 9 through 14 years of age should get HPV vaccine as a two-dose series with the doses separated by 6-12 months. People who start HPV vaccination at 15 years of age and older should get the vaccine as a three-dose series with the second dose given 1-2 months after the first dose and the third dose given 6 months after the first dose. There are several exceptions to these age recommendations. Your health care provider can give you more information.”
Though the HPV vaccine is relatively new (in relation to some other vaccines), the research is there to support its use. In trials of Gardasil and Cervarix, the vaccine was found to be almost 100% effective in protecting against cervical infections and cervical cell changes and 97% effective in preventing cervical, vulvar and vaginal disease. Though some are skeptical of why a vaccine to prevent against sexually transmitted disease and the cancers that can also result has to be administered to children at such a young age, there is a reason. One day, your child will likely want to have sex and now is the time to vaccinate, before any exposure has occurred. With such a high success rate, cervical cancer incidence has been dramatically reduced and continues to decline as more and more people receive the HPV vaccine.
