Sixty-two National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers are urging health systems, physicians and hospital leaders to promote human papillomavirus vaccination as a form of cancer prevention.
The cancer centers, alongside leading cancer research organizations and advocacy groups, have published a joint statement to raise awareness of lagging HPV vaccination rates.
Even though 90% of HPV-related cancers are preventable through on-time vaccination by a child’s 13th birthday, HPV vaccination coverage has stagnated over the last three years, according to a Sept. 16 news release from MD Anderson
“To ensure protection against HPV-related cancers and move closer to eliminating HPV cancers as a public health concern in the U.S., urgent action is needed,” the release said.
MD Anderson urges health care systems to immediately identify and contact the parents and caregivers of age-eligible patients who are due for HPV vaccination and “encourage them to complete vaccinations.”
Read the full joint statement here.
