Can You Get the HPV Shot If You’re Not a Teen?

Cyra-Lea Drummond, BSN, RN
·5 min read
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triocean/Getty
triocean/Getty

Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

Key Takeaways

  • The most current HPV vaccine, Gardasil 9, is safe and highly effective at preventing genital warts and HPV-related cancers.

  • It’s recommended that people receive the HPV vaccine when they are in early adolescence, before becoming sexually active. However, getting the Gardasil 9 vaccine after becoming sexually active can still offer protection against HPV-related cancers.

  • Widespread HPV vaccination could help eliminate HPV-related cancers, including cervical cancer.



Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection in the United States. The latest HPV vaccine, Gardasil 9, protects against the nine strains of human papillomavirus that are most likely to cause cancer and genital warts. Gardasil has FDA approval to prevent the following conditions in people who are 9 to 45 years old:

  • Cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers (in females)

  • Anal cancer, certain head and neck cancers, such as throat and back of mouth cancers, and genital warts (in both males and females)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends giving the first dose of the HPV vaccine at 11 or 12 years old, though children can get their first dose at age 9.

If you did not get the HPV vaccine as a preteen, can you still get it as an adult? And should you get it? Here’s what experts say.



Takeaway

HPV can spread during vaginal, oral, or anal sex and by close skin-to-skin contact during sex. In about 90% of cases, the body will fight off the HPV within two years. However, when HPV hangs around in the body, it can lead to cancer of the cervix, anus, penis, vagina, vulva and throat. HPV can also cause genital warts.



Why Is Gardasil Given to Kids?

HPV-related cancers develop slowly and often don’t show up until adulthood. As such, many caregivers don’t feel any urgency about vaccinating their kids against HPV. However, the best protection is offered if kids get the HPV vaccine before their first sexual encounter.

“Everyone who engages in any type of sexual relationship during their lifetime is likely to become infected with HPV,” Heather Brandt, PhD, the director of the HPV Cancer Prevention Program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, told Verywell. “The HPV vaccine is a preventive measure. We want to ensure that children receive the vaccine before engaging in behaviors that may lead to cancer later.”

A 2023 study found that boys and girls who got three doses of the Gardasil 9 vaccine between the ages of 9 and 14 still had immunity against the virus 10 years later. The study also showed that the vaccine was very safe.

“This study confirms what we already knew and gives us more confidence in saying that this is a durable vaccine that provides long-lasting protection,” said Brandt.

HPV-related cancers can occur in people of either sex, so all children should get the HPV vaccine, Anna Giuliano, PhD, a researcher in the early development of an HPV vaccine, told Verywell.

“HPV is an ‘equal opportunity virus,’” said Giuliano, who serves as director of the Center for Immunization and Infection Research in Cancer (CIIRC) at Moffitt Cancer Center. “But we have strong evidence from clinical trials that the vaccine remains highly efficacious in protecting both men and women.”

Related: Is Gardasil the Only HPV Vaccine?

Is The HPV Vaccine Safe?

Giuliano said that parents and other caregivers making health decisions for children should know and be assured by the fact that there is a lot of safety data on the HPV vaccine, and there is ongoing monitoring to make sure that it continues to be safe.

“It’s important to emphasize that the HPV vaccine has been on the market since 2006, so we have population-level data,” said Giuliano. “During that time, the US Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization, and the vaccine’s manufacturer have been carefully examining the safety profile year after year. It has been clear that this is a very safe vaccine, and the benefits far outweigh the adverse effects.”

Can You Still Get the HPV Vaccine as an Adult?

If you did not receive the HPV vaccine as a kid or preteen, you could still benefit from getting it as a grown-up.

“Getting the HPV vaccine from age 27 to 45 involves shared clinical decision-making with your healthcare provider,” said Brandt. “Most individuals at that age have already been exposed to HPV, but maybe not to all the strains, so they should talk to their healthcare provider about whether the HPV vaccine is right for them.”



"Everyone who engages in any type of sexual relationship during their lifetime is likely to become infected with HPV."

Heather Brandt, PhD



Adults getting the vaccine for the first time will need more doses than children. People under the age of 15 need two doses given 6 to 12 months apart for protection, while people between 15 and 45 need three doses.

If you’ve already had the HPV vaccine, you should still use protection to prevent HPV infection and see your healthcare provider for routine cancer screenings, such as pap smears.

Related: What are the Side Effects of the HPV Shot?

Could the Vaccine Eliminate HPV-Related Cancers?

Worldwide, HPV-related cancers account for about 630,000 new cancer diagnoses every year. With higher HPV vaccination rates, researchers think we could see lower rates of HPV-related cancers.

“The HPV vaccine prevents 90% of HPV-related cancers and almost 100% of cervical cancers,” said Brandt.

Public health officials are optimistic that with widespread HPV vaccination, it might be possible to do away with cervical cancer. Brandt said that Australia is on track to eliminate cervical cancer by 2035 because of its high vaccination rates.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has actually made it a global goal to eliminate cervical cancer.

Giuliano said that HPV vaccination is an “amazing opportunity” to work towards that objective and that “if we can get 80% of Americans vaccinated, we can achieve that outcome.”



What This Means For You

If you’re a caregiver for a preteen, the HPV vaccine is a safe and effective prevention step that can guard them against HPV-related cancers and genital warts. While it’s best to get Gardasil 9 before becoming sexually active, you could still benefit from getting it later in life. Talk to your provider about whether it would make sense to get the HPV vaccine as an adult.



Read the original article on Verywell Health.