ACS Urges HPV Vaccination in Adolescents

An accomplished health care executive with more than 25 years of experience, Jeffrey Goffman serves as the chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Integrated Oncology Network, LLC, a nationwide cancer center development and radiation oncology management firm. Alongside his work at ION, he is a longtime supporter of the American Cancer Society (ACS), which aims to reach an 80 percent vaccination rate for human papillomavirus (HPV) by 2026.

A recent report published by ACS reveals that based on current rates, upward of 14 million more children aged 11 and 12 will have to get the HPV vaccine in the next eight years in order to reach the organization’s goal. Almost all instances of cervical cancer are caused by HPV, and many other cancers, including throat and genital cancers, are strongly linked to the virus. In 2014 alone, HPV accounted for some 30,000 different cancers and caused 6,500 deaths.

Parents are often hesitant about the vaccine, mostly due to a misunderstanding of its benefits or discomfort around talking with their children about infections that are sexually transmitted. Nevertheless, ACS and other organizations urge that adolescents receive the HPV vaccine by age 12 to help ensure effectiveness.