Wisconsin Teens Complete HPV Vaccines at Just Over 50% in 2025, Trailing U.S. Rates
Updated
Updated · WPR · Jun 8
Wisconsin Teens Complete HPV Vaccines at Just Over 50% in 2025, Trailing U.S. Rates
2 articles · Updated · WPR · Jun 8
Summary
Just over half of Wisconsin teens ages 13 to 18 completed the HPV vaccine series in 2025, while nearly 65% received at least one dose.
CDC data show the state trails national coverage: 78% of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 had at least one dose in 2024, and nearly 63% completed the series.
Doctors say the gap may reflect limited preventive-care access, parental vaccine attitudes and Wisconsin's permissive school-exemption rules, since HPV shots are not required for attendance.
Pediatricians are urging earlier vaccination from age 9, saying younger children mount stronger immune responses and have more time to finish the two-dose series before 15.
The push comes as the vaccine marks 20 years since FDA approval and has been shown to prevent 90% of HPV-related cancers; U.S. infections among teen girls have fallen 88% since 2006.
With throat cancer now the top HPV risk, especially for men, why do vaccination efforts for all teens remain so far behind?
As federal guidance suggests one HPV shot may be enough, could this finally solve Wisconsin's stubbornly low vaccination rates?
Wisconsin Lags Behind: Understanding and Addressing Low HPV Vaccination Rates Among Teens
Overview
Wisconsin is struggling to protect its adolescents from HPV-related cancers, as nearly half of its teenagers are not getting the recommended HPV vaccine shots. This leaves a large portion of young people vulnerable to preventable diseases. While national data shows that over three-quarters of teens have started the HPV vaccine series, Wisconsin’s rates are much lower, highlighting a significant lag compared to the rest of the country. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services tracks these trends, and the gap between state and national vaccination rates points to an urgent need for improved efforts to boost coverage and safeguard adolescent health.