Madison Kwiecinski 

News Editor 

Mvk5945@psu.edu 

Due to the current convoluted political climate surrounding medically safe vaccinations, it is necessary to remember and reiterate the health benefits an individual, and those they come into contact with, receive after getting their HPV vaccination. 

Most cervical cancers are associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a sexually transmitted infection. HPV can cause an increase in a multitude of cancers, with cervical cancer being the most common. Widespread vaccination against this STD could drastically reduce cases of cervical cancer on a global scale, if a near “herd immunity” was reached with vaccination levels. 

Gardasil 9 is an HPV vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and can be used for vaccination in both girls and boys. Previously, this vaccine was focused largely on women, as they are the ones most at risk to develop different types of cervical cancers. However, the HPV vaccine protects from several types of cancer, and men can be carriers of it. Without males receiving their HPV vaccination as well, the percentage of women who contract HPV or cancers associated with the disease will largely increase. 

The vaccine can also prevent vaginal and vulvar cancer. Additionally, the vaccine can prevent genital warts, anal cancers, and mouth, throat, head and neck cancers in both women and men. 

The HPV vaccine can be received at a variety of ages, but is most beneficial the younger you are when you receive it. It is also beneficial to receive the HPV vaccine prior to becoming sexually active, if possible, as it is best to be vaccinated before an individual has ever been in contact with the infection. There is no evidence at all that receiving an HPV vaccine at a young age leads to sexual activity at a young age, and is not something those considering vaccination should be concerned about. 

The CDC states that vaccination can begin in both boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 12, with two doses of the vaccine 6 months apart. The vaccine can be safely administered to children ages 9 and up, and it is recommended that all those receiving the vaccination under the age of 15 remain on the two-dose schedule. 

Those who are between the ages of 15 and 26 when they receive their HPV vaccine should receive 3 doses of the vaccine instead. 

Gardasil 9 has recently been approved for HPV vaccination in those ages 9 to 45. If an individual is between the ages 27 and 45, they should confer with their doctor before receiving the HPV vaccination, but it is a beneficial option for those individuals. 

The HPV vaccination has benefits for those who are and are not sexually active, and sexual activity levels, nor age, should deter someone from inferring about this vaccination. Although Gardasil 9 cannot treat an already existing HPV condition, it can prevent an individual from being infected with another strand of HPV. 

According to the CDC website, “With more than 135 million doses distributed in the United States, HPV vaccine has a reassuring safety record that’s backed by over 15 years of monitoring and research.”