Myths and facts
MYTH
I’m the only person I know with HPV.
FACT
HPV is common.28
While many people diagnosed with HPV think they are alone, that’s far from the truth!
An estimated 80% of reproductively active people will have HPV at some point in their lives. Since most genital HPV has no symptoms, a person who has been infected may never know about it.
MYTH
If we have always used contraceptives, we are not at risk of getting HPV.
FACT
When they’re used correctly, physical protection methods are very effective against STIs, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV. The kind of STIs that spread through bodily fluids. However, they are likely to be less effective when up against STIs that spread through skin-to-skin contact, such as herpes and HPV.28
The reason is simply that they do not cover the entire genital area, and contact with the unprotected areas can transmit HPV.
MYTH
The HPV diagnosis can confirm when and where you got the infection.
FACT
Even after diagnosis with HPV, there is no way to pinpoint how long a certain infection has been there.28
The virus can remain in the body for anywhere between a few weeks, all the way to an entire lifetime, without any sign of its presence. A genital HPV infection may show up symptoms like lesions, warts, or cervical abnormalies after months or years. Its ability to lie silent for all this time makes genital HPV very mysterious.
MYTH
HPV vaccination is not safe.
FACT
The HPV vaccination is well-tolerated and does not cause any major health complications.29
Just like any other vaccine or drug, the HPV may have minimal side effects (SEs) including, soreness or redness in the arm where the injection was administrated. Other common SEs include a low-grade fever, headache or tiredness, nausea, or muscle/joint discomfort. All these SEs are brief and last for a very short time. An allergic response is not common, if someone is allergic to any of the vaccine’s components, then the vaccine should be avoided.
There were years of studies conducted on the vaccine itself (at least 10 years) and it is strictly monitored by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
MYTH
HPV vaccination can lead to infertility.
FACT
These claims are based on inaccurate evidence and are not supported by research or clinical studies.29
A recent study of more than 200,000 women discovered no link between the HPV vaccine and premature overian failure. In contrast, the HPV vaccine can help protect fertility by preventing gynaecological issues associated with cervical cancer therapy.
MYTH
HPV vaccines were only tested against pre-cancers, and have not been shown to prevent cancer.
FACT
Because HPV cancers can take decades to develop, the initial clinical trials were conducted using pre-cancers as the endpoint.30
Monitoring over more than a decade of vaccine use has found a decrease in HPV-cancer rates in those who were vaccinated.
MYTH
Getting the HPV vaccine will encourage adolescents to be more sexually promiscuous.
FACT
There is no evidence that the HPV vaccine increases sexual activity.29
There is no evidence that receiving HPV vaccine leads to an increase in sexual behavior. In reality, a recent study of over 500,000 people indicated that there was no boost in sexual activity following HPV immunization. In fact, vaccinated people participated in safer intercourse.
MYTH
The HPV vaccine doesn’t protect against enough strains of human papillomavirus to be worth getting.
FACT
The current HPV vaccine protects against nine different forms of HPV.29
These nine HPV types have been linked to more than 90% of genital wart cases, 90% of cervical tumors, and 70% of anal cancer diagnoses. This immunization is extremely effective in preventing this very widespread viral illness, as well as genital warts and cancers.
MYTH
HPV is uncommon, and it’s unlikely I’ll be infected, so there’s no need to get the HPV vaccine.
FACT
The most common RTI is genital HPV infection.29
RTIs accounts for approximately 14 million additional infections in the United States each year. It’s so common that almost every man and woman will indeed be exposed to at least one strain of HPV at some point of their lives. Over 80 million people in U.S. are now infected.
MYTH
We have Pap smears, why do we need HPV vaccination?
FACT
Pap smear testing can only identify cervical pre-cancers, and does not address other HPV-related anogenital cancers.30
Pap smears have been very effective at reducing cervical cancer rates in the US. But, HPV vaccination can help prevent more cancers than just cervical cancer, and can help also prevent the precancers that are detected via Pap smears.
Pap smears have not prevented any cases of cervical cancers, but merely served as a mechanism to treat high-grade lesions with no impact on cancer development.
MYTH
HPV vaccinees are unnecessary because most people clear HPV infections naturally.
FACT
For HPV infections that do not clear, there is also often a rapid development of HPV-related cytological changes and genital wart development.30
While the 90% clearance estimate represents a substantial proportion of HPV infections, things need to be put into perspective. Even if 90% of the cases are cleared by the immune system, there will still be millions of people with persistent infections that could progress to cytological abnormalities.
MYTH
11-12 years of age is too young to vaccinate.
FACT
HPV vaccine showed a high immune response at earlier ages.30
Clinical trial data has documented that, for both males and females, receipt of HPV vaccine prior to 15 years of age results in HPV antibody titers approximately two-fold higher than when vaccination is provided at 15 years of age or older.