If you're in the military, should you get the vaccine for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) if you haven't already?
The evidence says YES - and the sooner, the better.
Why? Because HPV can cause cancers years after exposure or resolve itself with no symptoms, but who wants to take that chance? The virus is responsible for approximately 40,000 cases of cancer each year, almost all of which are preventable, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. According to the CDC, there were 43 million Americans with the HPV STI in 2018.
While the number of infections is high, most cases of HPV clear themselves. If they don't, HPV can result in genital warts, or, worse, cervical, vaginal, vulvar, and anal cancer in women, penile and anal cancer in men, and cancer of the back of the throat.
The HPV vaccine is Food and Drug Administration-approved for persons 9-45 years of age. The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) routinely recommends the vaccine for persons 11-26 years of age, making it a vaccine that both parents and service members should consider.
Discuss Your HPV Status at PHAs
The HPV vaccine is not currently mandatory in the military. The FDA approved the vaccine in 2006, so many recruits may already be vaccinated, which is one reason it is not offered in basic training.
"However, we recommend that providers discuss HPV vaccination with service members at their annual Periodic Health Assessments and at any other clinical visit as appropriate," said Dr. Bruce McClenathan, medical director for the Immunization Healthcare Division, South Atlantic Region Vaccine Safety Hub, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
"Many service members may have already been vaccinated to HPV, so they may want to check their childhood/adolescent immunization records or ask their parents," McClenathan suggested.
"If there is no evidence of previous HPV vaccine receipt, I would recommend that all service members 26 years of age or younger discuss the HPV vaccine with their provider and request to begin the series. Why pass on a vaccine that can prevent cancer?" he said.
The number of shots needed for a full vaccination varies depending on your age. Up to three doses may be needed for the vaccine to be fully effective, but many people who start the vaccination series don't finish it.
"Catch-up HPV vaccination is recommended for all persons through age 26 who are not adequately vaccinated," McClenathan added.
Acknowledging the stigma attached to STIs, Jennifer Ritschl, a nurse with the IHD at Fort Bragg, said: "Don't be afraid to ask questions."
For military personnel and beneficiaries, "we need people to understand there's no judgment: We're here to help."