Today, Cervivor, Inc. is proud to join fellow leading cancer organizations and respected cancer centers in issuing the following joint statement:
More than 40,000 cancers and hundreds of thousands of pre-cancers are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) each year among men and women in the United States (U.S.). However, these cancers (oropharyngeal, cervical, anal, vaginal, vulvar, and penile) and pre-cancers are almost entirely preventable with timely HPV vaccination. HPV vaccination is safe and effective. Therefore, 62 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Centers and other leading cancer organizations fully endorse the goal of eliminating HPV-associated cancers through on-time HPV vaccination for everyone—boys and girls.
Despite nearly 20 years of safety and monitoring data and strong evidence showing reduction of HPV-associated cancers in vaccinated individuals >25 years old (e.g., reduction of cervical cancer), HPV vaccination coverage still does not meet our national goal. HPV vaccination coverage in the U.S. lags several high-income countries and is well below the Healthy People 2030 goal of vaccinating 80% of boys and girls. The back-to-school season is an ideal time to promote timely HPV vaccination for children ages 9-12 and catch-up for teens ages 13-17 to prevent future HPV-associated cancers.
NCI-Designated Cancer Centers and other leading cancer organizations strongly encourage parents to choose HPV vaccination for their children. The U.S. has recommended routine HPV vaccination for females since 2006 and for males since 2011. Current HPV vaccination guidelines are for routine vaccination at ages 9 to 12. Health experts recommend catch-up HPV vaccination through age 26. The guidelines also recommend adults aged 27 to 45 discuss vaccination with a health care provider, as some individuals who did not receive the vaccine when younger may still benefit. According to the most recent National Immunization Survey-Teen data, only 63% of boys and girls ages 13-17 completed the HPV vaccination series in 2024, although coverage varies by geographic regions in the U.S. and has remained stable for the last three years.
NCI-Designated Cancer Centers serve populations across the U.S. with a commitment to research and patient care and are trusted messengers for parents and health care providers as they make cancer-related health care choices for today’s children. There are many cancers for which we have no or minimal insight into how to prevent, detect early, and/or treat effectively. A safe, effective cancer prevention vaccination against six types of cancers is unparalleled in our collective efforts. NCI-Designated Cancer Centers and other leading cancer organizations strongly endorse the safety and effectiveness of HPV vaccination as a crucial cancer prevention tool for up to six types of cancer.
HPV vaccination is cancer prevention. Schedule your well-child visit and ask your health care provider about HPV vaccination to prevent future HPV cancers in your children.
More information on HPV vaccination is available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Cancer Society (ACS), ACS National HPV Vaccination Roundtable, and American Academy of Pediatrics.
Read more HPV vaccination facts you can trust on the Cervivor Blog.