Vaccination against HPV can prevent thousands of cases of cancer each year.
More than 42 million Americans are infected with types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that are known to cause disease, and about 13 million Americans—including teens—are infected with HPV each year, according to the CDC.1 Although most HPV infections will clear by themselves within 2 years, some will cause cancer. Estimates suggest that 37,800 cancers were attributable to HPV each year between 2017 and 2021. Approximately 35,000 of these cancers could have been prevent by vaccination with the 9-valent HPV vaccine.2
The CDC recommends HPV vaccination for all preteens at ages 11 to 12 years old; catch-up vaccination is recommended for all adults through age 26. At IDWeek 2024, researchers took a closer look at both vaccination coverage rates and at interventions that could increase coverage rates in their communities.
READ MORE: Women’s Health Resource Center