Requiring HPV vaccination for school could improve immunization rates

HPV vaccination among adolescents is low compared to other vaccines recommended for that age group, and new research suggests mandating the vaccine — which protects against cervical and other genital cancers — in order to attend school could increase immunization rates. Scientists analyzed data from nearly 4,800 youth ages 13-17, and found that places such as Rhode Island and Washington, D.C., which require girls and boys to be vaccinated before starting school, had higher vaccination rates compared to states in those regions without such policies. Looking at a different dataset of more than 42,000 adolescents from 2008-2017, scientists also found that Rhode Island and D.C. saw higher rates of vaccination after they implemented school-entry policies for HPV vaccination, both within their own jurisdictions and compared to places without such policies.