Am I Too Old For The HPV Vaccine?

In the United States, the FDA currently recommends the HPV vaccine for anyone aged 9-26, regardless of their sex. This vaccine is designed to prevent several different types of cancer—including cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, and anus—as well as genital warts. But let’s say you’re over age 26. Does this necessarily mean that you’re too old to get it? This is something a lot of folks—myself included—have wondered.

I mean, is it even possible to get the vaccine if you’re over the recommended age and, if so, how much does it cost? Moreover, is it safe and would you still benefit from it? For the answers to these questions and more, check out my latest article over at VICE’s new health channel, TONIC. In this article, I explore what the research says regarding the safety of this vaccine and who is likely to experience the most benefit from it. I also discuss my experience as a person over the age of 26 who recently got vaccinated to offer some sense of what you might expect the process and cost to be like (hint: it wasn’t cheap and it was harder to get than I thought!).

Check out the full article in TONIC for more.

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