Protecting your child against the virus before they become sexually active can virtually eliminate their risk of contracting certain cancers later in life.

Words by Amelia Rodriguez

When the US Food and Drug Administration approved the inaugural human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in June 2006, doctors hailed it as a major breakthrough. “This really is the first vaccine developed specifically to prevent cancer,” Dr. Jon S. Abramson, chair of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) said to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in August of that year.

HPV — an acronym that describes a group of more than 100 viral strains — is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the country. Almost every sexually active person will be exposed at some point in their lives. Different types have different effects. “The most common manifestation is genital warts,” says Dr. Bernard Wosk, a seasoned DAP Health pediatrician.

Other infections have no symptoms at all and resolve on their own, but they can cause cell changes that eventually turn into cancer, most famously cervical cancer and others that affect the vulva and vagina.

HPV doesn’t discriminate by gender

In the two decades since the immunization’s initial rollout, the medical field’s understanding of and recommendations for the virus and its vaccine have evolved. For one, experts have now linked HPV to other forms of cancer, including those that affect both sexes. “When you’re talking about cervical, anal, and penile cancers, the most common cause is human papillomavirus,” says DAP Health Medical Director of Specialty Programs Dr. Jason Halperin.

Initially, the CDC advised only girls and women to get the vaccine. It expanded its recommendation to include boys in 2011 — a critically important move not only because men can contract and spread HPV, but also because HPV-related mouth and throat cancers are on the rise, especially among men. “The best treatment is prevention,” Wosk says. “The vaccine is essentially 90% effective in preventing the human papillomavirus infection.”

Kids can get vaccinated beginning at age 9. Children under 14 only need two doses, administered six to 12 months apart, while older teens (and even adults up to age 40) should receive three shots over six months.

Vaccinate before kids start having sex

Because the immunization is designed to prevent an STI, parents sometimes are uncomfortable discussing the shot with their children or are worried it will encourage sexual activity. “[A portion of] parents do decline the vaccine,” says Wosk. “The main reason I encounter is, ‘My son is not sexually active, so he doesn’t need the vaccine.’ I tell them, ‘Now is the time to be protected — not for today, but for the future.’”

That’s because the HPV vaccine is at its most effective if it’s administered before any form of sexual contact. “Since there’s no magic number there, the best choice is earlier — the earlier, the better — to not have any risk,” Halperin adds.

Research has repeatedly shown that HPV vaccination does not correspond to increased sexual activity or risky behavior. Instead, the immunization is linked to far, far lower rates of HPV-related cancers.

“We’re seeing such profound benefits already, especially if you look at data from countries that have absolute universal vaccination,” says Halperin. “Australia’s been really leading the charge here, and we are seeing almost no cases of cervical cancer in the generation that’s getting vaccinated.”

According to the CDC, just over 78% of American teens have had at least one dose, moving us closer to herd immunity. “That’s the idea that enough people will get vaccinated that we actually see HPV eradicated,” explains Halperin. We’re already on our way: A long-term study published last year in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics showed that HPV cases among unvaccinated women dropped as much as 75.8% between 2006 and 2023.

Prevention that is as safe as it is effective

Wosk emphasizes that the HPV vaccine is very safe. “In my 45 years working as a physician, I have never seen a bad reaction to the HPV vaccines [beyond] soreness at the injection site,” he says. Yet, he understands that parents may have questions and is happy to address any concerns that arise during pediatric appointments.

“We are committed to stigma-free, judgment-free sexual wellness,” adds Halperin.

The HPV vaccine is available at every DAP Health location, and patients and parents can also learn how to access their vaccine records and confirm they’ve received all the recommended immunizations for their age group and demographic.

Ultimately, DAP Health’s providers encourage parents to think of the vaccine as a tool — like sunscreen, seat belts, or the measles immunization — designed to protect their kids and help them grow into healthy adults. “[This vaccine] is a medical miracle,” Halperin concludes. “My biggest concern as a father would be that my children develop a form of cancer. So, if I have the ability to prevent that, I am all in.”

If your child is a DAP Health pediatric patient and you want to learn more about getting them vaccinated against HPV, please call your preferred clinic to make an appointment with your clinician.

To learn more about pediatric services at DAP Health, and/or to have your child become a pediatric patient, please click here.