Social media posts cast doubt on HPV vaccine safety

Social media posts cast doubt on HPV vaccine safety

Several social media posts in English and Spanish shared an article from a well-known anti-vaccine website saying that a study conducted in Colombia links the HPV vaccine to rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders. One of the posts quotes an anti-vaccine activist saying that the study findings deserve “more comprehensive investigation towards a decision whether to pull the vaccine entirely.”

Recommendation: 

These types of false claims may cause confusion about HPV vaccine safety, and public health professionals may face questions about the risks and benefits of HPV vaccination. Ensuring that FAQ pages and informational materials are up to date on the benefits of the HPV vaccine is recommended, as is providing relevant partners organizations with accurate HPV information. Debunking messaging may emphasize that hundreds of millions of doses of the HPV vaccine have been administered around the world with no serious safety concerns. These conversations may also provide an opportunity to promote the HPV vaccine, which dramatically reduces cervical cancer rates, in communication materials to the public