Human Papillomavirus (HPV) - VEC Vaccine Notes | Vaccine Education Center at CHOP

Charlotte Moser, Co-Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, talks about human papillomavirus (HPV) and the vaccine that protects against it. She also addresses common questions and discusses the relative risks and benefits of the disease and vaccine.

Watch the episode to find out:
• The ways this virus spreads without sexual intercourse
• How long HPV infections typically take to resolve
• Why a new HPV-related diagnosis (abnormal Pap or cervical cancer) is NOT evidence of cheating
• What HPV-related diseases males can experience
• What RRP is and how people can be affected
• Why condoms offer only limited protection
• Why Pap tests are still recommended after vaccination
• What we know about the safety of HPV vaccine
• About a resource where you can submit your HPV-related questions

00:00 Introduction
01:43 Conditions/diseases caused by HPV
03:02 Viruses and other causes of cancers
03:47 HPV and cervical cancer
05:05 Three things to understand about HPV infections
06:33 HPV infection and cheating
08:33 Number of people affected by HPV
08:58 HPV infections in males
09:42 Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP)
11:07 Avoiding HPV
13:11 Pap test or vaccination?
16:12 HPV vaccine
21:28 HPV vaccine safety
24:25 Some common questions
28:27 Risks & benefits

To learn more about HPV and the vaccine to prevent it, please visit https://bit.ly/HPV-vax. You can also check our dedicated webpage that includes answers to dozens of questions received by the VEC at http://prevent-HPV.org.

Questions? Submit the VEC Vaccine Notes form, https://bit.ly/contact-vec-vaccine-notes.

For other vaccines, diseases or general questions about vaccines, check out https://vaccine.chop.edu.

Subscribe to our Parents PACK newsletter, https://bit.ly/3KfLUoO.

Video created by and for the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (VEC at CHOP) is composed of scientists, physicians, mothers, and fathers devoted to the study and prevention of infectious diseases. The Center was launched in October 2000 to provide accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date information about vaccines and the diseases they prevent.

If you have any questions about your child’s health, please contact your child’s doctor. This video is intended only to provide general education and not intended to create a doctor-patient relationship between you and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). It is not medical advice or treatment, and CHOP is not responsible for any outcomes you or your child might experience from your use of this video. This video is provided “AS IS” with no warranties or representations. This video is copyright of CHOP. All rights reserved. ©2026 The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. For more information about vaccines or to contact us, check out the VEC’s main website at https://vaccine.chop.edu.