HPV vaccines have the promise of improving the lives of both women and men. The recommendations for use of the vaccine are based on scientific data, including safety studies, which indicate that the benefits of HPV vaccines far outweigh any of the known risks. The safety record of these vaccines is excellent.  After five years and more than 35 million doses of HPV vaccines given, all of the available scientific evidence shows that HPV vaccines are safe and effective, and that the current recommendations will result in the best opportunity to prevent HPV infection and its consequences.  HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Studies show that 50% to 70% of women will develop an HPV infection during their sexually active lives and that infection occurs soon after they become sexually active. Although most infections resolve over six to 24 months, some persist and can lead to cancer. Certain types of HPV are responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer, other cancers of the anal and genital areas and a significant percentage of oropharyngeal cancers in men and women. Other HPV types cause genital warts.  In the United States, each year about 12,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed, and nearly 4,000 women die of complications of cervical cancer.  HPV vaccines are an important scientific breakthrough. They prevent infection with the HPV types most commonly associated with the development of cancer and therefore are expected to reduce significantly the number of cases of HPV-related cancer in women and men.  Two HPV vaccines are available in the United States. The first, Gardasil, was licensed by the Food and Drug Administration in 2006 for girls 9 through 26 years of age to prevent cervical cancer and genital warts. In 2009, the license was extended to include boys 9 through 26. More recent data show Gardasil also prevents other genital cancers in women and anal cancer in both women and men.
During the recent Republican presidential debate, the issue of vaccinating girls against human papillomavirus, or HPV, came up several times, and some statements have been made that may concern