We’ve heard alarming stories in the media about severe reactions to the HPV vaccine. Is there any substance to these stories?

No. Since 2006, well over 100 million doses of HPV vaccine have been administered in the United States. Among all reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) following HPV vaccines, the most frequently reported symptoms overall were dizziness; fainting; headache; nausea; fever; and pain, redness, and swelling in the arm where the shot was given. Although deaths have been reported among vaccine recipients none has been conclusively shown to have been caused by the vaccine. Occurrences of rare conditions, such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) have also been reported among vaccine recipients but there is no evidence that HPV vaccination increased the rate of GBS above what is normally expected in the population.

CDC, working with the FDA and other immunization partners, continues to monitor the safety of HPV vaccines. You can find complete information on this and other vaccine safety issues www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/hpv.html and at www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/hpv.html.