There are certain health conversations that naturally become part of family life. Together with children, relatives and loved ones, we talk about sleep, nutrition, mental wellbeing, screen time, exam stress, work stress and many other health-related matters that make up normal day-to-day life.
But some conversations are easier to miss, especially when they are wrapped in misconceptions, stigma or simply a lack of clear information. HPV can be one of those topics.
What is HPV?
Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, is a very common virus. In fact, most people will come into contact with at least one type of HPV throughout their lifetime and for many, the infection clears naturally without causing harm[1]. HPV rarely causes symptoms, which means many people who have it do not know they carry it. [2]
However, some types of HPV are known as high-risk because they are associated with certain HPV-related cancers, including cervical, vulvar, vaginal and anal cancer.
How Much Do Parents Actually Know?
Despite how widespread it is, new research commissioned by MSD Ireland and carried out by Ipsos B&A among more than 1,000 people suggests that public understanding of HPV remains limited.
Only 1 in 10 people surveyed said they were aware of and had a full understanding of what HPV is, while 93% did not realise how widespread the virus is.[3]
The research also found that 38% of people did not know or were unaware that HPV can lead to certain types of HPV-related cancer.[3]
Perhaps most strikingly is the gap in how HPV is understood when it comes to boys versus girls. Nearly one in four people surveyed were unaware that boys can develop certain types of HPV-related cancers. Among parents, 75% of those with daughters under 18 said they were worried about their daughter coming into contact with HPV, compared with 42% of parents with sons under 18.[3]
That difference matters. For many years, HPV has been closely associated with cervical cancer, and that awareness remains hugely important. But HPV can affect people of all genders. If the conversation stays focussed on girls, boys can fall through the gap. And with men playing a vital part towards cervical cancer elimination efforts, that’s a gap worth closing.
The Conversation We’re Not Having
Parents are often balancing busy family lives with an overwhelming amount of health information, some of it helpful and some of it less reliable. This is where clear, accessible information becomes important.
The research found that people’s perceptions are shaped by a mix of sources, including health service leaflets and websites, traditional media, GPs, school or college educational programmes and social media.[3]
For parents, trusted information can make a real difference. The same research identified a number of barriers that can influence decisions around taking part on the national HPV vaccination programme, including waiting for a GP to mention it, limited knowledge about HPV or its link to certain HPV-related cancers, misinformation and broader vaccine hesitancy. [3]
In Ireland, the national HPV vaccination programme is offered to students in the first year of secondary school as part of the HSE School Immunisation Programme.[4] There is also an additional opportunity for young people who may have missed vaccination when it was first offered. The Laura Brennan HPV vaccination schools catch-up programme is currently available to 5th and 6th year students in secondary school for the 2025/2026 academic year, with further plans underway to offer broader catch-ups for the next academic year too. [5]
The Bigger Picture: A Cervical Cancer-Free Future
What makes these conversations even more important is the bigger picture of where Ireland is headed. There is now a national ambition to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2040 through a combination of awareness, screening, vaccination and treatment. Thanks to those joint efforts, Ireland is now on track to achieve this within the space of one generation.[4]
Decisions made today, often at the point when children are in first year of secondary school, can play a part in something much bigger. For parents, that’s a remarkable thing to be part of.
For many families, the most useful starting point may simply be a conversation. What do we know about HPV? What have we assumed? Have we read the information that came from school?
These do not need to be intimidating conversations. They are part of helping young people understand their health, giving them age-appropriate information and making sure parents have what they need to feel confident.
The research shows that awareness is uneven, but it also points to something encouraging. Parents want to make decisions that support their children’s future health. When the information is clear, reliable and easy to access, those decisions become easier to make.
For more information about HPV and the School Immunisation Programme, parents can visit the HSE website: School Vaccination Programme
Further educational information is also available through HPV Aware, a website developed, funded and provided by MSD Ireland: www.hpvaware.ie
- HSE, What cervical screening is, 2022. [Last accessed, July 2026]
- NHS, Human papillomavirus (HPV), 2022. [Last accessed, July 2026]
- MSD, MSD Data on File 2025. The research was commissioned by MSD Ireland and carried out by Ipsos B&A on a sample population of 1,000+ adults in Ireland. 2025.
- HSE, Cervical Cancer Prevention Starts with HPV, 2026. [Last accessed, July 2026]
- Gov.ie, Ministers for Health and Education and Youth announce the next phase of the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccine Catch-Up Programme, 2026. [Last accessed, July 2026]