The HPV Vaccine, 20 Years Later
Public Health On Call · Aug 6, 2026 · 16:35
Public Health On Call · Aug 6, 2026 · 16:35
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In the two decades since the HPV vaccine was approved, women's risk of developing cervical cancer has dropped by 80% for those vaccinated before age 16 and 66% in those vaccinated after age 16. It has also lowered the risk of other HPV-related cancers in men. In this episode: Journalist Liz Szabo recounts the incredible successes of this intervention in preventing cancer and discusses the existing misinformation surrounding the vaccine, still considered by some to be too "new."
Guest:Liz Szabo, MA, is an investigative health reporter with CIDRAP News.
Host:Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
Show links and related content:20 Years of HPV Vaccine Success—CIDRAP News
Do I Need an HPV Vaccine?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Preventing Cancer: The Far-Reaching Impact of Vaccines—International Vaccine Access Center
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