Human pappiloma virus vaccine

How many doses? What about side effects? Get answers to these questions and more. Most cervical cancers are associated with human papillomavirus HPV , a sexually transmitted infection. Widespread immunization with the HPV vaccine could reduce the impact of cervical cancer and other cancers caused by HPV worldwide. Here's what you need to know about the HPV vaccine. Various strains of HPV spread through sexual contact and are associated with most cases of cervical cancer.

Gardasil 9 is an HPV vaccine approved by the U. Food and Drug Administration and can be used for both girls and boys. This vaccine can prevent most cases of cervical cancer if the vaccine is given before girls or women are exposed to the virus. This vaccine can also prevent vaginal and vulvar cancer. In addition, the vaccine can prevent genital warts, anal cancers, and mouth, throat, head and neck cancers in women and men.

In theory, vaccinating boys against the types of HPV associated with cervical cancer might also help protect girls from the virus by possibly decreasing transmission. It can be given as early as age 9. It's ideal for girls and boys to receive the vaccine before they have sexual contact and are exposed to HPV.

Research has shown that receiving the vaccine at a young age isn't linked to an earlier start of sexual activity. Once someone is infected with HPV , the vaccine might not be as effective. Also, response to the vaccine is better at younger ages than it is at older ages.

Younger adolescents ages 9 and 10 and teens ages 13 and 14 also can receive vaccination on the two-dose schedule. Research has shown that the two-dose schedule is effective for children under Teens and young adults who begin the vaccine series later, at ages 15 through 26, should receive three doses of the vaccine.

The U. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the use of Gardasil 9 for males and females ages 9 to If you're age 27 to 45, discuss with your doctor whether he or she recommends that you get the HPV vaccine. The HPV vaccine isn't recommended for pregnant women or people who are moderately or severely ill.

Tell your doctor if you have any severe allergies, including an allergy to yeast or latex. Also, if you've had a life-threatening allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine or to a previous dose of the vaccine, you shouldn't get the vaccine.

Even if you already have one strain of HPV , you could still benefit from the vaccine because it can protect you from other strains that you don't yet have. Very rarely, severe anaphylactic allergic reactions might occur after vaccination.

People with severe allergies to any component of a vaccine should not receive that vaccine. HPV vaccine may be available at doctor offices, community health clinics, school-based health centers, and health departments. You can also contact your state health department to learn more about where to get HPV vaccine in your community. Most health insurance plans cover routine vaccinations. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

Vaccines and Preventable Diseases. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Most private insurance plans cover HPV vaccination.

The federal Affordable Care Act requires most private insurance plans to cover recommended preventive services including HPV vaccination with no copay or deductible. Medicaid covers HPV vaccination in accordance with ACIP recommendations, and immunizations are a mandatory service under Medicaid for eligible individuals under age In addition, the federal Vaccines for Children Program provides immunization services for children younger than 19 years who are Medicaid eligible, uninsured, underinsured, or Native American or Alaska Native.

Merck, the manufacturer of Gardasil 9, offers the Merck Vaccine Patient Assistance Program , which provides Gardasil 9 for free to people aged 19 to 45 years who live in the United States, do not have health insurance, and have an annual household income less than a certain amount.

If a single dose of HPV vaccine were effective, that would be an important advance. A large observational study using national data from women across Australia found that one dose of HPV vaccine was as effective as two or three doses in preventing high-grade cervical lesions An analysis of data from a community-based clinical trial of Cervarix in Costa Rica, found that even one dose of the vaccine caused the body to produce approximately nine times more antibodies against HPV than the body produces in response to a natural HPV infection, and those antibody levels persisted for 11 years In addition, the rates of HPV infection remained low for at least 10 years The ESCUDDO study , a randomized double-blind controlled trial involving 20, girls ages 12—16 years, is testing whether one dose of either Cervarix or Gardasil 9 is as effective as two doses at preventing persistent cervical infection with HPV.

Another prevention strategy that is being explored is topical microbicides. Carrageenan, a compound that is extracted from a type of seaweed and used widely in foods and other products, has been found to inhibit HPV infection in laboratory studies.

An interim analysis of data from a randomized clinical trial showed that consistent use of a lubricant gel that contains carrageenan reduced the risk of genital HPV infection in healthy women Researchers are working to develop therapeutic HPV vaccines, which instead of preventing HPV infection would prevent cancer from developing among women previously infected with HPV 37 — These vaccines work by stimulating the immune system to specifically target and kill infected cells.

Ongoing clinical trials are testing the safety and efficacy of a therapeutic DNA vaccine to treat HPV-related cervical and vulvar lesions. Menu Contact Dictionary Search. Understanding Cancer. What Is Cancer? Cancer Statistics. Cancer Disparities. Cancer Causes and Prevention. Risk Factors. Cancer Prevention Overview. Cancer Screening Overview. Screening Tests. Diagnosis and Staging. Questions to Ask about Your Diagnosis. Types of Cancer Treatment. Side Effects of Cancer Treatment.

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