Yes. The Human-Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccines are safe and effective at protecting against cervical cancer, which is one of the leading causes of death in women in the Americas.
Since the vaccine came on the market in 2006, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GAVCS) has reviewed the scientific evidence on the safety of HPV vaccines. To date, no safety issues have been found. The GAVCS considers HPV vaccines safe, and found the events related to them to be mild or moderate and resolved on their own.
It is also important to remember that all women between 30 and 49 years of age should be screened for cervical cancer at least once.
No. Multiple studies have shown that girls who are vaccinated against HPV are not more likely to engage in sexual activity at an earlier age than those who are not vaccinated.
No. Although this myth has received a lot of attention in the media, WHO’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GAVCS) has conducted an extensive review of the available scientific evidence and has concluded that there is no relationship between HPV vaccination and infertility.
No. Scientific studies and the revisions conducted by WHO’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GAVCS) have shown that getting the HPV vaccine does not lead to an increased risk of developing neurological problems.
No. There are stories about girls fainting right before or after getting vaccinated against HPV. These symptoms, also known as syncope, are related to anxiety or stress about the injection. These reactions can occur during the injection of any other vaccine or medicine, or during other medical procedures.
No. Scientific studies have ruled out a causal association between the HPV vaccines and blood clots. Blood clots can be caused by many different things and can happen to anyone. Getting vaccinated against HPV does not increase the risk of getting blood clots.
No. HPV vaccines can be a painful injection to receive, but the pain at the site of the injection goes away on its own. According to the scientific evidence revisions by WHO’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GAVCS), there is no evidence that CRPS - a rare event with no known cause - develops due to the vaccine.