UW Health calls the human papillomavirus, or HPV, vaccine, which prevents some forms of cancer, one of the most important advances in public health over the past 20 years.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV causes about 36,000 cancer cases annually in the U.S.
UW Health marked the milestone by reiterating the recommendation that people begin getting the vaccine at age 9, before they are sexually active and at risk for HPV.
In 2025, Wisconsin was below the national average for rates of HPV vaccination, with about 53% of 13 to 18-year-olds having completed the HPV series.
“The HPV vaccine was a groundbreaking discovery and invention — having a vaccine that prevents cancer is truly life-altering,” Dr. Megan Yanny, a UW Health pediatrician, said in a statement. “Nationally, the incidence of HPV lesions, including precancerous cervical lesions detected through screening in young women, has decreased by nearly 80% since 2008, and mortality from HPV-related cancers has also dropped significantly.”
