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Happy 20th Birthday, HPV Vaccine: A Love Letter on International HPV Awareness Day 2026

By Sara Lyle-Ingersoll, Cervivor Communications Director

Happy 20th birthday, HPV vaccine!

Two decades is a big deal. Cervivor marked the same milestone last year, so we know a bit about what 20 years of impact feels like.

We still remember the excitement in 2006 when the first HPV vaccine was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The news made the cover of Time magazine and the front page of The New York Times. But it wasn’t just another medical headline — it was a major scientific breakthrough. The idea that we could prevent cervical cancer before it ever started felt revolutionary. The hope was palpable.

Which makes today, International HPV Awareness Day — part of the International Papillomavirus Society‘s (IPVS) annual campaign to promote HPV prevention, screening, and care — a fitting moment to say happy birthday, thank you, and keep up the good work. Consider this our love letter to you, HPV vaccine. 

Why We Love You

Let’s start with the obvious: You prevent cancer.

Not symptoms. Not severity. Cancer. 

HPV is incredibly common — about 80% of people will be infected at some point in their lives. Most infections clear on their own, but some persist and can lead to cancer. Globally, HPV causes nearly all cervical cancers and contributes to cancers of the anus, oropharynx (throat), vulva, vagina, and penis. Together, HPV-related cancers account for more than 720,000 new cancer cases and roughly 350,000 deaths worldwide each year. 

When you were first approved in 2006, you protected against four HPV types, including types 16 and 18, which cause the majority of cervical cancers. Today’s version protects against nine HPV types: seven responsible for about 90% of cervical cancers, plus two that cause most genital warts. That’s pretty badass. Pardon our language.

Because prevention works best before infection occurs, vaccination is recommended between age 11 and 12, and can be given as early as 9. In this video for HPV Day 2026, IPVS envisions a world free from the cancer-causing virus — made possible in large part by you. 

Your Track Record Speaks for Itself

More than half a billion doses of the HPV vaccine have been given out worldwide, and decades of safety monitoring across multiple countries continue to confirm that you are safe. 

Any side effects are typically mild and temporary, and serious reactions are rare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and numerous independent reviews consistently affirm your safety.

And are you effective? Heck, yes! The data is just as strong. 

Countries with high vaccination coverage — think Australia, Rwanda, Sweden — have documented dramatic declines in HPV infections, genital warts, and high-grade cervical precancers among young people. 

This is no longer about projections or promises. The receipts are in. Here are just a few: 

  • A landmark 2020 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that Swedish girls vaccinated before age 17 had an 88% lower risk of cervical cancer compared to unvaccinated peers. 
  • In the U.K., research published in The Lancet in 2021 showed nearly a 90% reduction in cervical cancer among women vaccinated between 12 and 13.
  • In the U.S., a 2025 CDC analysis of 2008–2022 data found that cervical precancers among women 20 to 24 — the first generation routinely vaccinated — declined by roughly 80%.

That’s measurable progress and lives saved. Wow, just wow. 

U.S. rates of moderate to severe cervical precancers (CIN2+ and CIN3+) declined sharply from 2008 to 2022 among women 20 to 24 — the first generation routinely vaccinated against HPV. 

We Know It Hasn’t Always Been Easy

From the beginning, you carried more than a syringe and a schedule. You carried stigma — something anyone affected by a below-the-belt cancer understands all too well.

Because HPV is transmitted through intimate contact, conversations about the vaccine have often been wrapped up in discomfort, misinformation, and politics. Some struggle discussing a sexually transmitted virus with preteens. Others falsely claim you’re a “permission slip” for promiscuity. 

At the recent 2026 Cervical Cancer Summit — while unpacking your complicated history — Chief Medical Officer of the Association of Immunization Managers Michelle Fiscus, MD, FAAP, shared an old cartoon poking fun at the promiscuity myth. It showed a young girl receiving the HPV vaccine and saying, “I am so turned on right now.” The joke landed because the premise was so absurd.

A vaccine does not change a child’s values or lifestyle choices. It reduces their risk of cancer. Full stop.

At the 2026 Summit, Association of Immunization Managers CMO Michelle Fiscus emphasized that “misinformation remains one of our biggest barriers,” calling the promiscuity myth “farcical.”

In Case You Need to Hear This

Progress hasn’t been perfect — but that’s not on you. 

Vaccination rates vary widely by region and community. In the U.S., HPV vaccination coverage among adolescents continues to improve, but it still trails other routine adolescent vaccines like Tdap and meningococcal, according to the CDC. Research shows that a strong provider recommendation is one of the biggest factors in increasing HPV vaccination.

Globally, cervical cancer disproportionately affects women in low- and middle-income countries, where access to both vaccination and screening can be limited. The WHO’s strategy to eliminate the disease as a public health problem calls for 90% of girls to be fully vaccinated against HPV by age 15.

It’s simple math: The more people who receive you, the more lives will be saved from HPV-related cancers — which is why we’re your hype girl today and every day. 

For HPV Day, the IPVS shares a message of unity. 

Keep On Keeping On!

HPV vaccine, you have given us a tool that previous generations couldn’t even dream of. 

Twenty years ago, approving the first HPV vaccine was an act of scientific courage and public health ambition. Today, the challenge is simpler — and harder. We have to use it.

Reflecting on the momentum of the first National HPV Conference last April, Cervivor Founder and Chief Visionary Tamika Felder said, “Knowledge is power, but this is just the start. Preventable cancers like cervical cancer are on the rise because of complacency, stigma, and misinformation. The time to prevent suffering — and save lives from cervical and other HPV-related cancers — is now.”

Your moment is now. 

Happy 20th birthday to a vaccine that prevents cancer.

Here’s to a future when a cervical cancer diagnosis or, worse, a death is ancient history. 

P.S. Congratulations to the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program on five years of saving lives by increasing HPV vaccination rates! We couldn’t be prouder to call you a partner.

About the Author

SARA LYLE-INGERSOLL is a content and communications expert dedicated to transforming lived experiences into impactful stories. Her award-winning magazine feature about a close friend who passed from cervical cancer in their twenties led her to connect with Cervivor’s founder, Tamika Felder, and solidified her commitment to cervical cancer awareness and prevention. Now, as Cervivor’s Communications Director, Sara brings this mission full circle.

From Barriers to Breakthroughs: Black Women in Medicine Addressing Cervical Cancer Disparities and Saving Lives

By Tiera Wade, Cervivor Ambassador

Black History Month isn’t just about looking back — it’s about honoring the people whose courage, brilliance, and leadership are still shaping how we experience healthcare today.

As a five-year cervical cancer survivor and advocate, this conversation is personal. Representation in medicine isn’t symbolic — it directly impacts who gets heard, who gets screened, and ultimately, who survives. Black women are more likely to die from cervical cancer than any other racial or ethnic group and are more often diagnosed at a later stage.

At Cervivor, our mission is to eradicate cervical cancer, along with unnecessary stigma, suffering, and death that continue to disproportionately impact communities of color. That mission requires not only awareness and advocacy, but leadership within medicine itself.

These three Black physicians didn’t just enter medicine — they transformed it by confronting disparities head-on and demanding accountability and healthcare equity for all. The first OB/GYN was a pioneer in her time; the others are still practicing today.

Dr. Ethelene Jones Crockett

Ethelene Jones Crockett, MD, was a pioneer in women’s health and public leadership.

  • First African American female board-certified OB/GYN in Michigan, 1952
  • First woman president of the American Lung Association, 1977

As an OB/GYN, Dr. Crockett’s mission was rooted in the then-emerging field of cervical cancer prevention. She championed routine Pap testing, early detection, and patient education at a time when healthcare for Black women was not a priority. From the start of her practice in the 1940s, she dedicated her career to dismantling barriers, creating community-based pathways to the screenings and lifesaving treatments that were previously out of reach for so many.

She didn’t just treat patients — she opened doors and redefined leadership in medicine.

Dr. Uché Blackstock

Uché Blackstock, MD, is an emergency medicine physician and founder of Advancing Health Equity.

  • National leader in confronting racial bias in healthcare
  • Advisor to health systems and policymakers on equity reform
  • Author and public health educator advancing anti-racist medical practices

Dr. Blackstock’s work addresses the structural inequities that directly affect cervical cancer outcomes. Black women experience higher mortality rates not because cervical cancer is untreatable, but because of delayed diagnoses, gaps in screening, and inequitable care delivery.

She challenges institutions to move beyond performative statements and toward measurable accountability. That kind of leadership moves us closer to Cervivor’s vision of a future where cervical cancer no longer claims lives needlessly.

Dr. Karen Y. Winkfield

Karen Y. Winkfield, MD, PhD, is a nationally recognized radiation oncologist and cancer disparities researcher.

  • Former executive director of the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance
  • Leader in radiation oncology and cancer health equity research
  • Advocate for expanding access to high-quality cancer treatment in underserved communities. 

Dr. Winkfield’s work focuses on eliminating racial disparities in cancer care — including access to timely treatment and survivorship support. In cervical cancer, where Black women continue to face higher death rates, equitable treatment pathways are critical.

She represents what happens when clinical excellence meets justice-driven advocacy.

The Change Still Needed to Save Lives

Cervical cancer is largely preventable. Yet disparities remain.

These Black physicians embody three powerful pillars of change:

  • Preventive women’s healthcare access
  • Health system accountability
  • Equity in cancer treatment and survivorship

As someone who has walked through a cervical cancer diagnosis, I know that screening matters. Early detection matters. Being heard matters. 

Cervivor’s work is rooted in these same truths — breaking down stigma, amplifying survivor voices, and ensuring every woman has access to prevention, timely care, and support. Cervical cancer disparities are a painful reminder of the human cost when healthcare is treated as a privilege instead of a right.

Black women in medicine have been pushing this work forward for generations, often while navigating the very barriers they worked to dismantle.

This Black History Month, we don’t just celebrate titles. We celebrate transformation — and recommit ourselves to the work of ending cervical cancer for everyone.

About the Author

TIERA WADE is an artisan designer, dedicated patient advocate, and Stage II cervical cancer survivor based in Akron, Ohio. Diagnosed at age 39 with squamous cell carcinoma, she endured 36 rounds of radiation and brachytherapy during the height of the pandemic — a journey that tested her resilience and deepened her commitment to holistic healing and mental health. As the owner of SetTrendz Jewelry, Tiera channels her creativity into empowerment, using her platform to center the voices of Black survivors in spaces where they are often overlooked. In recognition of her impact in education and advocacy, Tiera received the 2024 Cervivor Spark Award and was named a 2025 Cervivor Champion. A graduate of the 2023 Cervivor School, her story has been featured in Health Monitor magazine and multiple Ohio media outlets. She serves as Lead of Cervivor Noir and recently moderated a panel at the 2026 Cervical Cancer Summit Powered by Cervivor, Inc. Guided by her faith and family, Tiera’s message is simple and powerful: “Cervical cancer is preventable with proper screening, and every person is worth prioritizing their own health.”