In the News
The HPV vaccine is approved for adults ages 27-45, though it isn’t recommended for all people in this age group. It was originally thought the vaccine wouldn’t provide much benefit for cancer prevention past 26 years of age. But later studies showed that Gardasil 9 was still 88% effective in the prevention of vulvar, vaginal and cervical precancerous lesions, cervical cancer and genital warts caused by the nine HPV strains, even in people who may have been exposed to the virus already. “This is because it’s unlikely they were exposed to all the HPV types, so the vaccine still offers some protection,” said Jill Purdie, M.D., a board-certified OBGYN and medical director at Northside Women’s Specialists, part of Pediatrix® Medical Group. When deciding if the vaccine is right for you, consider the added protection it offers. “I do feel that getting vaccinated, even if you’ve already been exposed to HPV, is helpful since it’s unlikely a person has been exposed to all the types the vaccine protects against,” said Dr. Purdie.
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