HPV Vaccines: A Parent’s Guide

By Molly Cavanaugh, August 2025

Human Papilloma Virus, HPV, is a double-stranded DNA virus which causes over 95% of all cervical cancers (1). HPV is an incredibly common and infectious virus. There is a highly effective vaccine against HPV that should be given before puberty to protect teens into adulthood. Cervical cancer rates have dropped from 8.4 cases to 3.2 cases per 1000 vaccinated women (2). In fact, this vaccine has been so successful that not a single case of cervical cancer was reported in women vaccinated against HPV in Scotland (3). The HPV vaccine was first introduced in 2006 in the US to combat growing cancer numbers caused by HPV (4). 

There are parents who are hesitant to vaccinate their children for HPV. This included my own mom, who waited a few years after the recommendation to get me vaccinated. There are several reasons for this resistance against the HPV vaccine, including general hesitancy towards all vaccines, the belief that their children will not be at risk for HPV if they do not have sex, do not have sex before marriage, or the concern that the vaccine is given at too young an age (5). This article intends to serve as a guide for parents to learn about their concerns about the HPV vaccine, how the HPV vaccine works, who should get it, and most importantly, is it safe?

Why is the HPV Vaccine Necessary?

HPV is a virus which causes cancer by interrupting the cell cycle. Normally when cells are old, damaged, or cancerous the body rids itself of these through a process called apoptosis or cell death (read more in depth here: viruses and chronic health). HPV stops the body from getting rid of damage and from stopping tumors, leading to cancer (6). In addition to cancer, HPV causes a variety of warts, including genital warts. Most people who are infected with HPV do not notice any symptoms, making it more likely to be spread (7).

There are many types of HPV with some being higher or lower risk to develop cancer. At least one type of HPV infects at least 40% all adults in the United States, however this number may be closer to 80% (8). Not all strains of HPV cause cancer but as of 2018, 42 million people were infected with a disease-associated type of HPV. This is a huge number of infections and leads to nearly 40,000 new cases of HPV related cancers in the US each year (9). The HPV vaccine is one of the most effective vaccines available with a success rate of over 98% (10). The vaccine is shown to prevent HPV infections, warts, and cancers caused by HPV. Despite hesitations, the vaccination effort in the US has been successful at limiting the spread of HPV, reducing HPV infections by 88% in teen girls.

There are 40,000 cases of cancer in the US that could be prevented each year through HPV vaccinations. HPV is a virus that exists only in humans and has no other natural host. This means that if everyone in the world was vaccinated against HPV, the virus could die out (11).

HPV Vaccine Safety:

Vaccines, while not new, have been the source of intense debate. The main concern usually is the unfounded association between autism and vaccines. The link between autism and vaccines has been disproven as recently as this month (12, 13, 14). Now, it would also be a lie and say that vaccines, or anything else, are totally safe. There is an allergic risk that is associated with anything, including vaccines (15). According to the health and human services in 2022, for 1 million doses of a vaccine there will only be up to 2 people with a severe allergic reaction (16). Additionally, there is also a theory that some autoimmune diseases could be triggered by vaccines. This link is so rare that a correlation has yet to be established (​​17). That means that in the US, there are 347 million people without any severe side effects from vaccines (18). Conversely that means that, at maximum, only 694 people, over the course of their lives in the US, could have a severe allergic reaction to the HPV vaccine. 4.5% of all cancers worldwide are caused by HPV (19). This means that with nearly 20 million people being diagnosed with cancer a year, 900,000 people could have avoided cancer by being vaccinated against HPV. So over 899,000 people will be vaccinated against an aggressive form of cancer with no severe side effects.

Are there risks associated with vaccines? Yes, absolutely. But, the risk of not getting vaccines far outweighs the risk of not getting them. 

Who should be vaccinated against HPV?

This is an excellent question that confuses a lot of parents. While HPV is known as a major cause of cervical cancer, it can also cause many other types of cancer too. In fact, in 2022, a study from the CDC found that 16,000 cases of cancer were caused by HPV in men as compared to 21,800 cases in women (20). While there are more impacted women than men, over 43% of HPV cancers are in men. Boys are just as much at risk as girls for HPV-caused cancers. HPV can cause cancer in the cervix, the penis, the throat, and the anus (21). Boys and girls are both at risk for cancers caused by HPV. You can protect all your kids, no matter their sex, by getting them vaccinated for HPV.

Why are children vaccinated so young if HPV is considered to be a sexually transmitted infection?

The vaccine is recommended when children are between 9 and 12. This is so that the children will be protected against HPV before they have any possibility to be exposed to it. Nobody is trying to encourage children to have sex! In fact, the vaccine is recommended so young because that is when scientists know that children should not yet have had any sexual contact (22).  

Why would someone who does not plan to have sex need to be vaccinated?

It is also a misconception that HPV can only be transmitted through sex. In fact, oral HPV is thought to be spread, in part, through French kissing (23). This means that a person who saved themselves for marriage and only had a single sexual partner, could still contract HPV. Additionally, even if someone waits until marriage and only has a single partner, that singular partner could have contracted HPV at an earlier time in their life. Not to mention that sexually transmitted infections are often spread during sexual assaults. One study found that young women 18-24 who were sexually assaulted faced a higher rate of HPV infections (24). 

I understand that a parent may be worried about someone pursuing sexual behavior because the teenager may believe that they are protected from STDs based on the vaccine. To that I would say: you do not need to associate the vaccine with sex. The choice to vaccinate does not need to go against any religious or cultural concerns regarding sex. This vaccine is a backstop against cancer. The HPV vaccine could stop the development of cancer from kissing, assaults, or yes, even sex. This vaccine is not about enabling your child to make mature choices, it is simply about protecting against disease and cancer.

The choice to vaccinate your children is both a personal and an important part of being a parent. While studies show that the HPV vaccine is safe and effective, your doctor has expertise that they can share and listen to any questions or concerns.