India, March 15 -- My 12-year-old daughter has been advised to get the HPV vaccine. What is it for? Is it necessary for all adolescents, and should I also consider it for my 18-year-old son? Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common infections transmitted through skin-to-skin sexual contact. Most infections may go unnoticed, but certain high-risk types of HPV can persist in the body and, over time, lead to cervical cancer. In India, cervical cancer continues to be a serious health concern. Many women are diagnosed at a late stage, and delayed treatment often leads to poor outcomes. HPV infection is also linked to cancers of the vagina, vulva, anus, oropharynx and penis, as well as genital warts. This is why doctors strongly emphasise vaccination at the right age to prevent these diseases. India continues to witness a silent epidemic of cervical cancer, with one woman reportedly dying every seven minutes from this preventable disease. As per the Govt of India Cancer Registry, 1.23 lakh new cases and 77,000 deaths occur annually, contributing to one-fourth of the global burden. Cervical cancer is largely avoidable through early vaccination and routine screening programs, facilitating the timely detection of precancerous lesions. Among the available interventions, HPV vaccination remains the most efficient and evidence-based primary prevention method. Vaccination before the first sexual contact offers robust immunogenicity, thereby significantly reducing the risk of HPV-related malignancies. Although the vaccine was initially introduced mainly to prevent cervical cancer in females, scientific evidence has shown that HPV infection also causes disease in males. In recent years, HPV vaccination programmes have expanded to include boys as well. Persistent HPV infection in men can lead to cancers of the anus, penis and oropharynx, in addition to genital warts. Vaccinating boys provides them with direct protection against these HPV-related conditions. Immunising boys also reduces the circulation of the virus in the population, thereby decreasing transmission to sexual partners and strengthening community or herd protection. Optimal protection is achieved when the vaccine is administered before viral exposure, between 9 and 14 years of age. If missed, it can be given till 26 years. Earlier vaccines targeted two or four HPV types responsible for the majority of HPV-related cancers. Currently, three major HPV vaccines are available globally. The bivalent vaccine protects against HPV types 16 and 18, which account for most cervical cancers. The quadrivalent vaccine protects against HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18, thereby preventing both cervical cancer and genital warts. In India, a major milestone has been the development of the indigenous quadrivalent HPV vaccine. The availability of this locally manufactured vaccine is expected to improve access across India. The nationwide HPV vaccination campaign was launched by PM Narendra Modi on February 28 in Ajmer, Rajasthan. The government plans to vaccinate around 1.15 crore girls every year, and the vaccine will be provided free of cost at government health facilities, including district hospitals, medical colleges, and community health centres. The inclusion of the HPV vaccine in India's National Immunisation Programme is anticipated to substantially reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality, advancing progress toward the World Health Organization's global target of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2030. For parents, choosing HPV vaccination for their children is an important step toward protecting them from certain cancers later in life. A simple preventive action during adolescence can make a lifelong difference in health and well-being....