There is exactly one vaccine that prevents several cancers. It's safe, effective, and puts the elimination of cervical cancer within reach. Even as the world reaches this medical moment, the U.S. faces a persistent challenge: human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake has remained steady but is insufficient to achieve herd immunity. [MedPage Today} 

We should want broad community protection: a staggering 85% of people will get an HPV infection at some point in their lives. And with approximately 78% of 13- to 17-year-olds receiving at least one dose of the HPV vaccine, coverage lags significantly behind other routine childhood immunizations. HPV vaccination rates were on the rise until 2022, when initiation stagnated for the first time in about a decade. This stall is further complicated by geographic disparities, with rural areas showing dramatically lower rates compared to urban areas -- for example, the percentage of adolescents up to date with HPV vaccination ranged from 39% in Mississippi to nearly 80% in Massachusetts in 2024. This gap, and the knowledge gap about the virus' prevalence and impact, leaves individuals and the public vulnerable.

More>

###