(Image source from: Maryland Cancer centers call for more use of HPV Vaccine})

Around sixty nine top cancer centers across the country have called for more use of the HPV vaccine to treat the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The virus can cause the deadly throat, cervical, anal and other genital cancers.

University of Maryland Marlene, Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center  situated at Johns Hopkins, issued a joint statement on Wednesday. They encourage patients to bring their children for HPV vaccination. They describe the widespread of virus as a "public health threat."

According to the centers for Disease Control, there are around 79 million people  are diagnosed with the HPV virus. The virus causes expected 14 million new infections, every year,  due to unsafe sexually transmission. In most of the cases, the immune system of the body fight with the deadly virus,  but still strains cause genital cancers like, penile and cervical.

The statement said that, "HPV vaccination represents a rare opportunity to prevent many cases of cancer that is tragically under used," noting that it "is our best defense in stopping HPV infection in our youth and preventing HPV-related cancers in our communities." All cancer centers are the part of the National Cancer Institute and hope that, the move will enhance the use of vaccine.

Elizabeth Platz works at the Sidney Kimmel center said that, "the cancer centers have come together to make it clear that the evidence is there, that the vaccine is safe and effective," "We want to bring greater attention to this intervention.”

In Australia, around 75% of the children are vaccinated, while in the United Kingdom, nearly 84 to 92, percent of children have received the vaccine.

Nandini