Talk to your child’s healthcare provider about the HPV vaccine.
Help prevent your child from getting certain types of cancer later in life.
Keeping your child safe and healthy is one of your greatest concerns as a parent. So, what if you could help prevent your child from getting cancer when they’re older? You can – by getting them vaccinated against HPV.
What is HPV and how is it spread?
HPV (human papillomavirus) is an infection nearly 85 percent of people will get at some point in their life. For most, this virus will go away on its own. But for some, the infection won’t clear and may cause certain types of cancer years later, including:
- Cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancer in women
- Penile cancer in men
- Anal cancer in men and women
- Oropharyngeal (throat) cancers in men and women
Since HPV is spread through sexual contact, it’s recommended adolescents get vaccinated before becoming sexually active and having exposure to the virus. That way the vaccine has time to build immunity and offer the greatest protection throughout their lives.
Who should get vaccinated and when?
- Both girls and boys should get the HPV vaccine.
- The ideal time to get this vaccine is 11-12 years of age. The earlier kids get the vaccine, the more effective it is.
- Everyone through age 26 should get the HPV vaccine if not fully vaccinated already.
The HPV vaccine is an effective way to prevent cancer.
Since the vaccine was introduced in the United States in 2006, HPV infections, genital warts and cervical precancers have dropped greatly.
- Infections with HPV types that cause most HPV cancers and genital warts have dropped 88% among teen girls and 81% among young adult women.
- The percentage of cervical precancers caused by the HPV types most often linked to cervical cancer have dropped by 40 percent among vaccinated women.
- Additionally, a 10-year longitudinal study found the vaccine had an 85.6 percent efficacy rate at preventing HPV infection among men.
The HPV vaccine is proven to be safe.
More than 135 million vaccine doses have been given in the United States, with no serious safety concerns associated with it.
What else should you know about HPV and the cancers it causes?
- Every year, approximately 13 million Americans, including teens, become infected with HPV.
- Most people don’t know when they have HPV – and it can be spread even when a person has no signs or symptoms of the virus.
- HPV causes cancer in nearly 36,500 Americans yearly.
- The HPV vaccine can prevent 33,700 of these cancers by preventing the infections that cause them.
Listen to HPV survivor testimonials.
Hear first-hand what it’s like to have an HPV-related cancer and why getting the HPV vaccine is so important.
Protect your child from cancer-causing HPV. ASAP.
You do everything you can to keep your child safe and healthy. With the HPV vaccine, you can help protect them from getting cancer years down the road. And what parent wouldn’t want that?
Talk to your child’s healthcare provider about the HPV vaccine at their next appointment.