Local health departments will play a critical role in the successful uptake of HPV vaccines.  As the most commonly sexually transmitted infection in the United States, HPV affects approximately 20 million Americans.  Each year, an additional 6.2 million become newly infected.  The introduction of an HPV vaccine will be an effective tool in helping to eliminate cervical cancer.

In March 2006, NACCHO held a meeting to discuss adolescent health and immunization.  Representatives from vaccine manufacturers, academia, provider groups, professional organizations, and public health agencies attended this meeting and discussed what can be done as individual organizations and collectively to promote consistent messages and increase the proportion of adolescents receiving the HPV vaccine.

On September 14, 2006, NACCHO held a follow-up adolescent health and immunization workgroup meeting focusing on HPV and the implementation of the vaccine. The overall goal of this meeting was to identify barriers in reaching targeted populations and to share information, updates, and strategies on collaborative activities among stakeholders to address many of the opportunities and challenges discussed at the March 2006 meeting.