US teenagers aren’t getting vaccinated against HPV at the same pace as before the Covid pandemic, a trend that could imperil efforts to control a common cause of cervical and other cancers.
Immunization rates have stagnated for kids aged 13 to 17 for the past two years, according to data that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Thursday. Meanwhile, routine shots for diseases like tetanus and meningitis have returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to the CDC survey, which analyzed results from nearly 17,000 teenagers.
The trend could cause alarm among public health officials. Each year, human papillomavirus causes more than 21,000 cases of cancer in women and about 16,000 in men.
HPV vaccines, including Merck & Co.’s market-leading Gardasil, are dramatically effective when administered in adolescence. A recent population-wide study in Scotland found zero cases of invasive cervical cancer among adult women who were immunized at 12 or 13. Thanks to the shots, Australian authorities expect to effectively eliminate cervical cancer in the country by 2035.
“This is the only vaccine I know of that prevents cancer,” said Sunil Sood, a pediatrician who specializes in infectious disease at Northwell Health in New York. “Putting it like that has been known to make a difference” to parents who might be resistant to having their children vaccinated, he said.
Gardasil is a cornerstone of Merck’s business, accounting for nearly $9 billion in revenue last year, about 15% of total sales. Its shares fell nearly 10% on July 30 after the company disclosed issues with a third-party supplier that could affect Gardasil sales in China.
According to the CDC, about 61% of US teens were up to date on their HPV vaccines in 2023, a decline from 63% the prior year. Roughly 77% had received at least one dose of the vaccine, a small increase over the 2022 rate.
Gardasil, the only HPV vaccine used in the US, is recommended for people between the ages of 9 and 26. The CDC advises including it among routine shots given to children 11 and 12 years old.
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