If you’ve been to our office, you may have been asked about the HPV vaccine but do you really understand what HPV is, what it causes, and what the benefits of the vaccine are?
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is extremely common in the heterosexual/homosexual community. There are many types of this virus but only certain types are responsible for anogenital warts and cancer. HPV related cancers includes anal, penile, and throat cancer in males and cervical, vaginal, vulvar, and throat cancer in females. A newer version of the HPV vaccine (Gardasil 9) was approved by the FDA in December. This vaccine is different from the previous Gardasil vaccine because it adds protection against five additional types of HPV that are known to cause cancer. It is recommended that all males and females between the ages of 9 and 26 receive this vaccine. However, our office may even recommend this vaccine in certain instances, even if you are older than 26. So, if you are interested in learning more about this potentially life-saving vaccine, contact your provider.