Last Updated:March 07, 2026, 10:28 IST WHO’s vaccine safety advisory committee and multiple large studies have found no credible evidence linking HPV vaccination to infertility. The HPV vaccine is a powerhouse. It targets the human papillomavirus, which causes nearly all cervical cancers. (Representational image/AP) India’s long-awaited national initiative to vaccinate adolescent girls against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) has been widely praised as a major move toward preventing cervical cancer. However, as the campaign begins to roll out across the country, it has also sparked a surge of misinformation online, bringing back earlier fears and conspiracy theories about the vaccine’s safety. Viral Misinformation Several posts circulating on social media platforms claim that HPV vaccines could lead to infertility, lack sufficient safety data, or were associated with deaths during earlier trials conducted in India. In recent weeks, many of these claims have spread widely, fuelling concern among parents at a time when the government is preparing to expand one of the country’s most significant cancer-prevention efforts. According to health experts, much of the content circulating online …