About HPV Vaccines

Every year, about 36,000 men and women develop a cancer caused by HPV.

HPV vaccination could prevent more than 90% of these cancers from ever developing.

All children (Girls and Boys) ages 11-12 years should get the HPV vaccine to protect against cancers caused by HPV infections.

Vaccinating boys can prevent cancers caused by HPV in men. HPV doesn’t only affect women. More than 4 out of every 10 cases of cancer caused by HPV occur among men. Every year in the U.S., over 14,000 men get cancers caused by HPV. You can protect your child from these cancers with the HPV vaccine at 11–12 years.

Talk to your child’s doctor about HPV vaccination TODAY!

When should my child get the HPV vaccine?

Dose #1

11–12 years (can start at age 9)

Dose #2

6-12 months after the first dose

Early protection works best. That’s why the HPV vaccine is recommended earlier rather than later. It protects your child long before they ever have contact with the virus.

Key Facts about HPV Vaccination

  • Children ages 11–12 years should get two doses of the HPV vaccine, given 6 to 12 months apart. HPV vaccines can be given starting at age 9 years.
  • Children who start the HPV vaccine series on or after their 15th birthday need three doses, given over 6 months.
  • Adolescents who receive two doses less than 5 months apart will require a third dose of the HPV vaccine.
  • If your teen isn’t vaccinated yet, talk to their doctor about doing so as soon as possible.
  • Everyone through age 26 years should get the HPV vaccine if they were not fully vaccinated already.
    • Three doses of the HPV vaccine are recommended for teens and young adults who start the series at ages 15 through 26 years, and for immunocompromised persons. The recommended three-dose schedule is 0, 1–2, and 6 months.
    • Three doses are recommended for immunocompromised persons (including those with HIV infection) aged 9 through 26 years.
  • Keep in mind that HPV vaccination prevents new HPV infections but does not treat existing HPV infections or diseases. The HPV vaccine works best when given before any exposure to HPV.
  • HPV vaccination is not recommended for everyone older than age 26 years. If you are an adult aged 27 through 45 years who was not already vaccinated, speak to your healthcare provider about your risk for new HPV infections and the possible benefits of HPV vaccination.
  • HPV vaccination of adults provides less benefit because more people in this age range have already been exposed to HPV.
  • The HPV vaccine is made from one protein from the virus and is not infectious, meaning it cannot cause HPV infection or cancer.
  • Talk to your healthcare provider if:
    • You are or think you might be pregnant. The HPV vaccine is not recommended for use during pregnancy.
    • You have severe allergies, including an allergy to yeast.

Reasons to Get the HPV Vaccine

Almost every unvaccinated person who is sexually active will get HPV at some time in their life. About 13 million Americans, including teens, become infected with HPV each year.

Most HPV infections will go away on their own. But infections that don’t go away can cause certain types of cancer.

HPV can cause cancers of the:

HPV infections, genital warts, and cervical precancers (abnormal cells on the cervix that can lead to cancer) have dropped since the vaccine has been in use in the United States.

Infections with HPV types that cause most HPV cancers and genital warts have dropped 88% among teen girls and 81% among young adult women.

Among vaccinated women, the percentage of cervical precancers caused by the HPV types most often linked to cervical cancer have dropped by 40 percent.

HPV is estimated to cause nearly 36,500 cases of cancer in men and women every year in the United States. HPV vaccination can prevent 33,700 of these cancers by preventing the infections that cause them.

That’s the same as the average attendance for a baseball game!

HPV can cause several kinds of cancer. Only cervical cancer can be detected early with a screening test. The other cancers caused by HPV may not be detected until they are more serious. HPV vaccination prevents infections that cause these cancers.

Most children only need two doses of the HPV vaccine when vaccinated before the age of 15. You can take advantage of any visit to your child’s doctor to get recommended vaccines for your child:

  • Annual checkups
  • Sports physicals
  • Annual flu shot or other vaccine visits

With more than 135 million doses distributed in the US, HPV Vaccine has a reassuring safety record that’s backed by over 15 years of monitoring and research.