Vaccination Hesitancy: Why We Need to Push for HPV Vaccinations in Teens

Dr. Anwar Khoury, an OB/GYN at Stormont’s Flint Hills campus in Junction City, stresses the safety and effectiveness of the HPV vaccine in preventing cervical cancers, as well as some anal/genital and throat cancers. According to the American Cancer Society’s 2023 “Cancer Facts and Figures” report, there has been a 65 percent reduction in cervical cancer rates among those aged 20 to 24 who received the vaccine early on. Studies have shown that the vaccine can be up to 99 percent effective in preventing cervical cancer if given at an early age.

However, recent data from the CDC shows a concerning stall in new HPV vaccinations among teens. The World Health Organization also reports drops in HPV vaccinations in some parts of the world over the past few years. Dr. Khoury suggests that factors such as COVID-19 vaccine skepticism and misconceptions about the HPV vaccine may be contributing to this hesitancy. Some believe that the vaccine promotes sexual promiscuity, but Dr. Khoury stresses that the vaccine is ideally given to boys and girls at age 11 or 12 to develop better immunity before exposure to the virus.

Dr. Khoury reassures that studies have debunked concerns about the HPV vaccine and urges parents to speak with their child’s pediatrician about the benefits of vaccination. With nearly 14,000 women in the U.S. being diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, the HPV vaccine offers a preventive measure to reduce the risk of infection. The CDC recommends the HPV vaccine in two doses if started before age 15, or three doses if started after that, and it can be administered anytime between ages 9 and 26. Preventing cervical cancer is achievable with the HPV vaccine, and Dr. Khoury emphasizes