PennCare for Kids Doctors Agree: HPV Vaccine Benefits Boys, Too

Doctors are now encouraging boys to get the same human papiloma virus (HPV) vaccine as girls, based on the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the past, only girls between the ages of 11 and 26 were encouraged to receive the vaccine. The vaccine can prevent several types of HPV infection and reduce the girls’ risk of developing cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancer. The CDC has now added boys age 11 years and older to the recommendation because HPV has also been linked to an increased risk of penile cancer as well as anal and oropharyngeal cancers.

Learn more about HPV and why your child should be vaccinated