Protect Yourself: The HPV Vaccine and What You Need to Know
ZANESVILLE, OH -HPV- three little letters that can have a big impact on your health. It stands for Human Papilloma Virus, and it’s one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases out there.
March 3rd is HPV Awareness Day, a reminder of how common the virus is and how easy it is to protect yourself. Over 80% of sexually active adults will be infected by HPV at some point in their lives… and while many cases are harmless, some strains can lead to serious health risks, including cancer.
“The most important risk that people really need to recognize is HPV can cause up to six different types of cancers that affect both men and women,” OSU Professor in the College of Medicine, Dr. Electra Paskett said.
The good news is that the HPV vaccine is highly effective in preventing cancer. It’s a simple step that can reduce your risk of cancer significantly.
“The main way to protect yourself is to get the HPV vaccine. Children can get it, both boys and girls starting at age 9 and adults can even get it up to age 45. I want to stress that it is safe, it is effective, and it has been shown in data from the American Cancer Society published January 2024, that in the cohorts of women who were at the age to have gotten the HPV vaccine, there were no cases of cervical cancer,” Dr. Paskett said.
For more information on HPV and ways to protect yourself, visit the American Cancer Society’s website.
