Almost 20 years after the first vaccine against human papillomavirus became available, vaccines have yet to provide strong protection against the leading cause of cervical cancer and a strong risk factor for anal cancer. Yet many eligible Americans still haven’t gotten vaccinated.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States; Most infections are asymptomatic It resolves on its own within two years, but a small number remain and can cause cancer. HPV can be the cause of almost all cases of cervical cancer. It can also cause penile cancer, anal cancer, oral cancer, vulvar cancer, and vaginal cancer..
Two or three doses of the HPV vaccine can significantly reduce the risk of infection. This is “actually one of the most effective vaccines that we have,” said Dr. Lauri Markowitz, HPV team leader in the Division of Viral Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, its uptake rate remains low. According to a report released this month by the CDC, by 2022, only 38.6% of children between the ages of 9 and 17 will at least received One dose of HPV vaccine.other new research This suggests that HPV vaccination rates have stagnated in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
the study published This week, we uncovered some of the top reasons American parents give for not planning to vaccinate their children with HPV, including safety concerns, lack of knowledge about the vaccine, and belief that the vaccine is not necessary.
Karen Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society, said: “As we roll out vaccines, we are responding to what I would call inadequate or incomplete messaging about why this is so important. “We still face a tough battle.”
How do vaccines work?
The HPV vaccine tricks the body into thinking it has been exposed to the virus and mobilizes antibodies for protection. These antibodies help eliminate the virus and prevent infection if someone becomes infected later. oral sex, anal sex, vaginal sex.
This vaccine provides protection against the types of cancers most likely to cause cervical cancer, anal cancer, and genital warts. Since the vaccine was introduced in 2006, infections with the HPV type that causes most HPV-related cancers and genital warts have decreased by 88 percent in teenage girls and by 81 percent in young adult women. According to the CDC
One reason doctors are so enthusiastic about the vaccine is because it’s one of the few tools available to combat HPV. Condoms cannot completely prevent infection, and there is no cure for the virus itself. researchers believe HPV causes more than 90 percent of cervical and anal cancers and most vaginal, vulvar, and penile cancers.
Who should get it? And how?
Children can be vaccinated starting at age 9. The CDC recommends the vaccine for all preschoolers ages 11 or 12 and everyone up to age 26. It is most effective before exposure to the virus, and “the assumption is that most people have started having sex by age 26,” said Dr. Van Mis Aros, associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Told.
The vaccine may still have some benefit in people over 26 and has been approved up to age 45. The CDC says people between the ages of 27 and 45 may receive the vaccine after consulting their doctor about the risk of new HPV infections.
You can ask your family doctor or local doctor health center For vaccines.most insurance plans cover completely Uninsured or underinsured children and youth can receive free vaccinations through the following methods: pediatric vaccines program. If you’re over 26, your insurance may no longer fully cover vaccinations, which can cost hundreds of dollars each. Merck, which manufactures the HPV vaccine Gardasil 9, Patient assistance program For target audience.
Why are vaccination rates still low?
Researchers believe much of the hesitancy stems from important misconceptions. “More and more people are recognizing it as a vaccine to prevent sexually transmitted diseases rather than a vaccine to prevent cancer,” said Kalyani Sonawane, associate professor of public health sciences at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. She is a member of the center and the author of a new paper on parental attitudes toward HPV vaccination.
Dr. Sonawane’s research also found that many parents were concerned about side effects. But doctors say most people don’t experience side effects, and for those who do, the symptoms are generally mild and can include arm pain, nausea, dizziness and even fainting.
Dr. Monica Wohl-Rosen, an obstetrician-gynecologist at the University of Michigan Medical School, said doctors advise parents to vaccinate their children before they become sexually active, which makes some parents hesitant. It is said that the
“We’re doing something to prevent people from getting cancer in 30 years. The disconnect may be too big for some people to understand,” she said.