Biography

“ This report shows that HPV vaccine works well, and the report should be a wake–up call to our nation to protect the next generation by increasing HPV vaccination rates. Unfortunately only one third of girls aged 13–17 have been fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine. Countries such as Rwanda have vaccinated more than 80 percent of their teen girls. Our low vaccination rates represent 50,000 preventable tragedies – 50,000 girls alive today will develop cervical cancer over their lifetime that would have been prevented if we reach 80 percent vaccination rates. For every year we delay in doing so, another 4,400 girls will develop cervical cancer in their lifetimes. ”

Tom Frieden, MD, MPH - Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention