Safe and Effective Vaccine Reduces Risk of Several Cancers in Men & Women
Nashville, TN – No one wants to hear his or her doctor say the word “cancer.” We all know things we can do to lower our chances of hearing that diagnosis: avoid smoking, eat right, avoid sunburns and get regular screening tests like mammograms and colonoscopies as we get older. The next generation has a powerful new tool in the fight against cancer: the HPV vaccine.
The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is extremely common; nearly everyone picks up different strains of this virus during their lifetimes, and most are harmless.
“HPV vaccine prevents cancer,” said TDH Commissioner John Dreyzehner, MD, MPH. “That is a remarkable upside and one I made sure my own children took advantage of years ago. I urge parents to ask for it and healthcare providers to make it their clinical practice. Why wouldn’t we want to make cervical cancer and other cancers a thing of the past in Tennessee?”
The HPV vaccine has been in widespread use in the U.S. since 2006 for girls and later for boys to protect against the two most common cancer-causing strains of HPV. A newer version protects against five additional less-common cancer-causing HPV strains.
Because the vaccine’s protection is very long lasting, especially when given to younger children, it is ideal to give it to preteens along with their tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis booster (Tdap) and their first dose of meningitis vaccine.
Long-lasting protection comes from three doses, given over about six months. Older teens and young adults should get the vaccine if they did not get it as preteens. It has been nearly a decade since doctors began using this vaccine, but in that time most young men and women who can benefit from the vaccine have not had it.
“We all want the children we love to have the best chances for a long and healthy life, and that is why my preteen niece and nephew are getting all recommended vaccines, especially this one.” said Kelly Moore, MD, director of the Tennessee Immunization Program. “The HPV vaccine is a very important part of lifetime cancer prevention because it is proven safe, effective and long-lasting.”
“Starting the vaccine series is one thing,” said State Epidemiologist Tim Jones, MD, “but getting three doses in six months is a challenge in any busy family. The good news is that if you have already started and are behind schedule, you can just pick up where you left off; you never have to start over. In Tennessee fewer than half of teens have started the vaccine and, sadly, fewer than one in five has been fully vaccinated. That means most of Tennessee’s young people are at risk of common HPV-related cancers in their lifetimes and they don’t need to be.”
The HPV vaccine is available through most healthcare providers and all county health departments. Children and teens under age 19 without private insurance coverage for the vaccine may receive HPV vaccine and all other routine vaccines through most healthcare providers and all health departments for only a small administration fee through the federal Vaccines for Children program.
To learn more about HPV, visit www.cdc.gov/hpv/index.html
Tennessee families are encouraged to visit kidcentral tn, a one-stop shop to connect them with important information and resources provided by state government departments and agencies. The website features a comprehensive directory of state services for children and families. Learn more at www.kidcentraltn.com
About the Tennessee Department of Health
The mission of the Tennessee Department of Health is to protect, promote and improve the health and prosperity of people in Tennessee. TDH has facilities in all 95 counties and provides direct services for more than one in five Tennesseans annually as well as indirect services for everyone in the state, including emergency response to health threats, licensure of health professionals, regulation of health care facilities and inspection of food service establishments.
Learn more about TDH services and programs at www.tn.gov/health
