When it comes to cancer prevention, there is perhaps no greater success story than human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. They can help prevent 90 percent of cancers that are caused by HPV.
Since their introduction in 2006, the percentage of cervical precancers caused by types of HPV most often linked to cervical cancer has dropped by 40 percent.
HPV vaccines are also incredibly effective at preventing the spread of this sexually transmitted infection: among teen girls, infections with HPV types that cause most HPV cancers and genital warts have dropped 88 percent since the vaccine’s introduction. Among young adult women, infections with HPV types that cause most HPV-related cancers and genital warts have dropped 81 percent.
Fifteen years of research and monitoring have continued to show that the vaccine is safe, but a steady rise in misinformation may put this progress in reverse. There are several myths about the HPV vaccine, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for children aged 11 or 12. Parents should consult their pediatrician with any specific concerns.
MYTH: HPV vaccines have dangerous side effects.
FACT: The vaccines are safe. More than 100 million doses have been administered since 2006 and the consensus of more than 160 studies is that the vaccine is safe.
The most common side effects are similar to other vaccines and include minimal pain and/or redness and swelling at the site of the injection. It’s routine for patients to be monitored for an allergic reaction for 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine. Any allergic reactions that occur within that period can be quickly and successfully treated.
MYTH: The vaccine can transmit the virus and cause cancer.
FACT: The vaccine does not spread HPV or cause cancer or other HPV-related diseases such as genital warts. Instead, it tricks the body into believing it has the virus. This causes the immune system to begin producing antibodies to fight it. This way, when a real HPV infection occurs, the body will know how to effectively deal with it.
MYTH: Only girls need to be vaccinated against HPV infection.
FACT: While the vaccines protect against about 70 percent of cervical cancers, they also provide protection against most HPV-related genital and oropharyngeal cancers in men, and against 90 percent of genital warts in women and men.
MYTH: Only people who are sexually active need to be vaccinated.
FACT: While it’s true that most cases of HPV infection are sexually transmitted, even people who have never had sexual intercourse can be infected by the virus since it is transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact.
The vaccine provides long-lasting protection and is recommended for children because it is most effective when given before someone has been exposed to HPV. In addition, research has shown that young people generate more disease-fighting antibodies in response to the vaccine than those vaccinated in their late teens.
MYTH: Only people with multiple sexual partners can get HPV.
FACT: Infection can occur from a single partner, in a single instance of sexual activity.
MYTH: Women who get the HPV vaccine don’t need regular Pap tests.
FACT: Women who are vaccinated against HPV still need to get regular Pap smears to screen for cervical cancer. Both vaccine brands, Gardasil and Cervarix, protect against the two most common strains of HPV that cause cervical cancer in the United States (HPV-16 and HPV-18).
MYTH: Condoms can prevent the transmission of HPV.
FACT: Condoms only offer partial protection, as they don’t cover all portions of the genitals.
MYTH: The odds of contracting an HPV infection are quite low.
FACT: HPV infection is quite common and infects about 13 million Americans a year according to the CDC. While it’s true that most cases of HPV infection are sexually transmitted, even people who have never had sexual intercourse can be infected by the virus since it can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.
About the Medical Reviewer
Dr. Campos received her MD from Georgetown University in 1992, and then completed residency training at Georgetown Medical Center. Between 1995 and 1998, she completed a fellowship in hematology-oncology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston, and in 2000 received her MPH from Harvard Medical School. She serves on committees for the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Gynecological Oncology Group, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. She is board-certified in internal medicine, oncology, and hematology.