Dana-Farber joins nation's cancer centers in endorsement of HPV vaccination for cancer prevention

Responding to low national vaccination rates for the human papillomavirus (HPV), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is joining 69 of the nation’s leading cancer centers to call for increased HPV vaccination for the prevention of cancer. In a joint statement released today, the institutions collectively recognize insufficient vaccination as a public health threat and call upon the nation’s physicians, parents and young adults to take advantage of this rare opportunity to prevent many types of cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HPV infections are responsible for approximately 27,000 new cancer diagnoses each year in the U.S. Several vaccines are available that can prevent the majority of cervical, anal, oropharyngeal (middle throat) and other genital cancers. The vaccine is recommended for 11- or 12-year-old girls and boys. Vaccination is also recommended for females age 13-26 and males age 13-21 who were not vaccinated when they were younger.

However, HPV vaccination rates remain low across the U.S., with under 40 percent of girls and just over 21 percent of boys receiving the recommended three doses. Research shows there are a number of barriers to overcome to improve vaccination rates, including a lack of strong recommendations from physicians and parents not understanding that this vaccine protects against several types of cancer.