Vaccinating yourself or your child is a personal choice. This post will help you weigh the benefits and risks of the HPV vaccine and decide how to best protect your family from the diseases HPV can cause.
What is HPV?
HPV, short for human papillomavirus, isn’t just one virus. It’s a collection of over 200 related viruses known as HPV types. Even though many of these HPV types never cause noticeable symptoms and go away on their own, some cause genital warts and others can cause cancers in both males and females. Mouth, throat, anal, rectal, penile, cervical and vaginal cancers are some examples.
HPV is common and widespread. In the US, about one in four people have HPV—that’s 25% of the population! HPV passes easily through direct sexual contact; that includes vaginal, anal and oral sex.
What is the HPV vaccine and what are its benefits?
Gardasil 9 is the only HPV vaccine currently being distributed in the US, and it’s one of the most effective vaccines there is. It provides almost 100% protection against nine HPV types (6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58), including the cancers they can cause.
Since 2006 when the first HPV vaccine was approved, the prevalence of HPV infections among teen girls in the US has decreased by more than 60%. As a result, there have been fewer cases of genital warts and cervical cancers. The HPV vaccine also protects males from HPV-related mouth, throat, anal, rectal and penile cancers.
What about the older HPV vaccines, you ask? The original Gardasil vaccine, which was distributed until 2017, only protected against four HPV types: 6, 11, 16 and 18. We used to have another HPV vaccine called Cervarix that was also recently discontinued. Cervarix protected against HPV 16 and 18 but was only approved for use in females. Gardasil 9 is safe for females and males.
What age should kids get the HPV vaccine?
Healthcare professionals recommend that all children, both girls and boys, get their first dose of the HPV vaccine at 11 or 12 years old, but a child can get the vaccine as early as age 9.
But does my child really need the HPV vaccine?
Getting the HPV vaccine doesn’t mean your child is sexually active or will be in the near future. Healthcare professionals recommend starting HPV vaccination at age 11 or 12, so your child can be fully protected before possible exposure to HPV.
No matter when your child becomes sexually active—even if it’s not until adulthood—there’s a high chance that they’ll come into contact with HPV at some point. The CDC reports that over 90% of sexually active men and 80% of sexually active women will be infected with HPV. And half of these cases will involve cancer-causing HPV types. (Still, even if a person has already been exposed to HPV, the vaccine provides protection from other types of HPV they may not have been exposed to.)
Making sure your child gets vaccinated against HPV is a way to protect their future health.
Can the HPV vaccine be given to adults?
If you are over 12 years old but haven’t yet received the HPV vaccine, the CDC still recommends you get it. The maximum age for HPV vaccination depends on certain characteristics.
In general, girls and young women can get vaccinated through age 26, and boys and young men can get vaccinated through age 21.
But anyone who falls into any of the following categories can also get vaccinated through age 26:
- Gay or bisexual men
- Men who have sex with men
- Transgender men and women
- People with very weak immune systems (for example, people who are HIV-positive)
What is the HPV vaccine dosing schedule?
The recommended dosing schedule is the same for males and females and includes two or three doses depending on how old a person is when they get their first dose.
Children who get vaccinated before their 15th birthdays should get a total of two doses of the HPV vaccine. Experts recommend getting the second dose six to 12 months after the first.
People who get vaccinated between age 15 and 26 or who have very weak immune systems should get a total of three doses of the vaccine. Experts recommend getting the second dose one to two months after the first and the third dose six months after the second.
Here are some other things to consider:
If you are slightly sick (for example, minor diarrhea or a mild cold), it’s okay to get the vaccination. But if your sickness is more moderate or severe, you should wait until you’re feeling better to get the dose. That way, your immune system will be strong enough to respond to the vaccine.
No one with a severe allergy to yeast should get Gardasil 9. Also, pregnant women should wait until they’re not pregnant anymore to get vaccinated.
What are the risks of the HPV vaccine?
Scientists currently have up to six years of long-term safety data for the current HPV vaccine. Making sure Gardasil 9 stays safe is an ongoing process.
Of course, all drugs carry a risk of side effects. In the case of Gardasil 9, the most common side effects are mild:
- Pain, redness, swelling where the shot is given
- Fever
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Muscle pain
- Joint pain
If you’re worried that the HPV vaccine could cause HPV, don’t. Gardasil 9 doesn’t actually contain the HPV virus. It only contains one small substance from it.
Also, there’s no evidence that getting the HPV vaccine negatively affects a woman or man’s fertility in the future. Quite the opposite—the HPV vaccine protects against potential fertility-related complications that certain cancers could cause.
Do the benefits of the HPV vaccine outweigh the risks?
With mostly mild side effects, the Gardasil 9 vaccine can prevent over 90% of HPV-related cancers from ever occurring. Again, deciding whether to vaccinate yourself or your child is a personal decision. After weighing the potential benefits against the potential risks, choosing the HPV vaccine is the right decision for most people.
How much does the HPV vaccine cost?
Gardasil 9 can be expensive if you pay out of pocket, but here’s some good news: most insurance plans cover Gardasil 9. And if you’re in need of any financial assistance, GoodRx has you covered.
Also, children 18 years old or younger can get free vaccines through the Vaccines for Children program, as long as they fall into at least one of these categories:
- Uninsured or underinsured
- Medicaid-eligible
- American Indian/Alaskan Native
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