Doctors in Central Florida

are pushing for a higher rate of HPV vaccines.

It’s been nearly two decades since the HPV vaccine was developed to fight the cancer-causing human papilloma virus. The vaccine is recommended for teens, but many parents are still hesitant to have their children get it.

“Unfortunately, this vaccine, when it first came out, was identified with a sexually transmitted infection, so it carries [a stigma] with it,” said Dr. Alix Casler, chairman of the Department of Pediatrics for Orlando Health Physician Associates. “And at the same time, there was skepticism about the quality of the vaccine. So the combination was a perfect storm to make people suspicious of the vaccine.”

Since then studies involving thousands of people have shown that the vaccine is safe, effective and long-lasting. If given before a person is exposed to the virus, the vaccine can prevent about 90 percent of HPV-related cancers. Australia, where the vaccine is given for free in schools, could be the first nation to eradicate cervical cancer.

Casler is an ardent advocate for vaccination and five years ago, after looking at the numbers in her own practice — they were not stellar — she set out to increase the rate of HPV vaccination.

She started educating physicians and staff about approaching the topic with patients and their parents and addressing their questions. She added a few simple check boxes to electronic health records so that all teens who got their first HPV shots were scheduled for the follow-up shots. And she asked practices to share their data.

“We were transparent about our performance in the practice, so we could see who was doing well and who was lagging,” said Casler. “It also motivated providers to ask each other for help.”

Sixteen months later, by the end of 2015, the practices had increased the HPV vaccination rate among boys and girls by about 30 percent. About 70 percent of the teens at the practice received their first dose of HPV vaccine, which was higher than the national and state average of 60 percent.

“We’re not academics. We’re just pediatricians. Other groups can do this and you don’t have to have a huge amount of resources to do this,” said Casler, whose protocol was published in January in the journal

Human papilloma viruses, or HPV, are a group of more than 150 related viruses, at least a dozen of which are known to cause cancers. The current HPV vaccine, Gardasil, protects against nine HPV strains.

The HPV virus is transmitted through contact, including sex. It’s a common infection — one out of four Americans are infected with the virus each year — and an uncommon cause of cancer. Nearly 80 million Americans are infected with HPV each year, while an estimated 31,500 of them are diagnosed with HPV-related cancers, including cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal, penile or throat cancers, according to the American Cancer Society.

The national immunization advisory committee recommends two doses of HPV vaccine before a teen’s 15th birthday.

The vaccine is less effective in older individuals because they’re more likely to have already been exposed to the virus. Most insurances cover the vaccine until age 26 in girls and age 21 in boys.

For further information, cancer.org/HPV. visit