Learn the truth behind this lifesaving immunization
The Gardasil vaccine prevents infection from strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), whichaffects more than 14 millionpeople every year—including teens. And while research is still ongoing for the vaccine, the long-term results since its introduction in 2006 have been promising.
So why hasn’t everyone been immunized? The answer is complicated.
When the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) suggested recommending the shot for both men and women up to age 26, as well as making it available up to age 45, it was another endorsement for a preventive measure that promises to reduce—or even eradicate—six killer cancers, two of which (oropharyngeal cancer and anal cancer) are currently on the rise.
Doctors such as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center obstetrician/gynecologist Bobbie Rimel, M.D., consider getting the HPV shot a no-brainer.
“We use safety belts and airbags on cars to protect ourselves from danger, and here’s something that can stop a deadly virus. It just makes sense,” she says.
But as of 2017, half of U.S. teens hadn’t received both of the recommended shots associated with the vaccine, despite appeals from the American Academy of Pediatrics and other groups.
The delay may be due to misconceptions about what the shot is and does, as well as confusion surrounding HPV itself.
Here are eight of the most persistent myths:
Myth #1: HPV is a virus only girls get.
Truth: The immunizations were first offered to just girls because HPV was only detectable among females. Even today, it takes a cervical swab to confirm HPV exposure. But in the nearly five years since the current formulationof the vaccine was released, there’s been increasing evidence that HPV may actually be tougher on males.
“Men are more affected by HPV-related head and neck cancers,” notes Dr. Rimel.
Roughly 70 percent of oropharyngeal (throat) cancers, more common among men than women, are HPV-related. With about 18,000 annual cases, they are some of the most diagnosed of all HPV cancers today.
“HPV also causes genital warts and most anal cancers,”adds gynecologic oncologist Sarah Dilley, M.D., of Indianapolis. She notes that, although rare, HPV is also connected to some penile cancers. HPV was even found in a lung cancer, raising concern that we don’t yet know the full extent of its reach.
Myth #2: HPV infections are rare.
Truth: HPV is so common that the National Cervical Cancer Center estimates 80 percent of all Americans will be infected at some point, and virtually everyone will be exposed.
The Foundation for Women’s Cancerreports that the virus is present in 45 percent of men and 40 percent of women between ages 18 and 59. Few of those people will ever develop cancer, but only about one-quarter of the population between 15 and 59 will entirely escape infection from one of the more than 100 HPV strains.
Myth #3: HPV only impacts the sexually active or those with multiple partners.
Truth: One encounter—even without penetration during sex—can create an infection.
Oral sex and even skin-to-skin contact can spread HPV, and the virus can also survive on surfaces. Currently, various studies are exploring whether kissing can spread the virus, but more research is needed.
The Anal Cancer Foundation warns that theonly way to eliminate HPV risk is to avoid “all intimate manual and genital contact with another person for an entire lifetime.” Naturally, that’s a hefty price.
Myth #4: The vaccine causes side effects or illnesses.
Truth: Since the shot contains virus-like particles, rather than a live or killed organism, it cannot cause infection.
“Hundreds of thousands of doses of the HPV vaccine have been administered and there’s been no reportof any increased risk of serious consequence when compared to a placebo,” says Dr. Dilley.
However, any immunization, medication, or procedure can have complications, Dr. Rimel notes. But they’re usually pretty harmless, the most common being minor swelling around the injection site that usually subsides after a few hours.
Myth #5: The vaccine encourages sexually promiscuity.
Truth: The vaccine targets youngsters before they reach sexual maturity and has no impact on sexual activity. Most youngsters don’t know they’ve received it or what it’s meant for.
But because about half of new HPV infections occur in 15- through 24-year-olds, doctors say timing is critical. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines allowimmunizations to begin at age 9, with a booster six to 12 months later. Younger teens tend to show a stronger response.
“The shot should be given sooner, rather than later, for full protection,” says Dr. Dilley, noting that it has no impact on fertility down the road, based on all available evidence.
Myth #6: Most people get over HPV infection on their own.
Truth: It’s true that the immune system defeats most encounters with the virus.
“Just as with the cold virus, HPV is common, usually harmless, and most people clear it,” says Dr. Dilley.
But with more than 100 HPV variants, it’s hard to confirm you’ve defeated the right one. The World Health Organizationpinpoints at least 14 cancer-causing strains, most of which disappear within two years. But HPV can lurk for months or even years before reappearing.
Myth #7: Condoms prevent sexually transmitted diseases, including HPV.
Truth: That logic doesn’t apply here. Condoms only cover the shaft of the penis. Since skin-to-skin contact transmits HPV, there’s no way to shield anyone who’s ever had vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
Myth #8: Since my doctor didn’t mention the shot, it’s probably not important.
Truth: Discussing a youngster’s future sex life can be tough for a pediatrician or family physician. That may help explain why a 2017CDC report found that only 53 percent of 13- to 17-year-old girls had gotten a full course of the vaccine, with 63 percent of boys the same age receiving only one dose.
“Pediatricians already have lots to get through, including obesity, screen time, and behavior problems, and this is a highly charged topic,” says Dr. Rimel. “Some doctors may choose to wait to discuss the HPV vaccine.”
But making it a point to discuss the vaccination with your doctor is crucial. The vaccine is more effective when provided earlier. In 2017, the CDC reported that 40 percent of high school students had had sexual intercourse—10 percent with four or more partners—so immunization may be essential.
Weighing all the pros and cons, Drs. Dilley, Rimel, and many of their counterparts believe that providing a shot that offers close to 100 percent protectionfrom deadly diseases, rare as they are, is more than a nice-to-have. It’s essential.
“The HPV shot is absolutely imperative,” Dr. Rimel insists.