As parents consider having their children vaccinated to prepare for the next school year, the HPV vaccine (for human papillomavirus) is one that sometimes attracts attention. The virus is quite common, is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact and can cause cancers of the throat and reproductive organs. Unfortunately, misinformation about vaccines is also easily transmitted nowadays by the internet and media. Rumors can raise doubts about the validity of preventative scientific methods that were once taken for granted. Three common concerns about the HPV vaccine – the “right age,” its safety