HPV Vaccine Cuts Cervical Precancers 80% but 1 in 3 U.S. Adults Still Lack Awareness
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 11
HPV Vaccine Cuts Cervical Precancers 80% but 1 in 3 U.S. Adults Still Lack Awareness
2 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 11
Summary
Cervical precancers among young women have fallen 80% since the CDC recommended HPV vaccination in 2006, and cervical cancer incidence has dropped by more than half in high-coverage states.
Near-100% protection before HPV exposure is now extending beyond cervical cancer: a JAMA Oncology study found vaccinated boys and young men had a 46% lower risk of HPV-related oral cancers.
Uptake still lags sharply across the U.S., with unvaccinated adolescent rates ranging from 8% in Rhode Island to 34% or higher in Kentucky, West Virginia, Georgia, Oklahoma and Mississippi.
More than 1 in 3 U.S. adults have never heard of HPV or the vaccine, or are unsure, a knowledge gap worsened by misinformation including false claims from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends routine shots at ages 9 to 12 and catch-up vaccination through 26, reflecting evidence that the vaccine can prevent multiple cancers in both women and men.