School Requirement to Inform Families about HPV Vaccine (Assembly Bill No. 659) 

Dear Clinicians: 

Effective January 1, 2024, Assembly Bill No. 659, the Cancer Prevention Act, requires that schools notify parents or guardians of 6th graders about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine recommendations. Some schools may choose to use this template letter to families to educate families. Parents may request that their child receive HPV vaccine or ask you questions about the communication they receive from school. 

While HPV vaccine is not required for school attendance, it’s still important that you strongly recommend HPV vaccine to prevent cancers that can be caused by HPV, including cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anal, oropharyngeal, and penile cancers. As the most trusted source of vaccine information for families, your recommendation is very influential.  

As a reminder, the California Immunization Registry (CAIR) forecasts initiation of the HPV vaccine series starting at age 9 years, consistent with guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics. This shows as an alert stating, “Patient is eligible for Earliest Date option for HPV Vaccine,” for 9- and 10-year-old patients in CAIR. The earliest valid dose of HPV vaccine in CAIR is 9 years, HPV vaccine is due at 11-12 years, and is considered overdue at 13+ years. 

What resources are available to help me educate patients about HPV vaccine? 

• Vaccines for Your Preteen flyer, a resource with supplemental information about both school-required and routinely recommended vaccines for 11-and-12-year-olds that can accompany the above template letter. (Find additional translations under Immunization Promotional Materials.) 
• How Important is HPV Vaccine for Preteens and Teens flyer, a flyer emphasizing the importance of HPV vaccine with a testimonial from a father who lost his 23-year-old daughter to cervical cancer. (Find additional translations under Immunization Promotional Materials.) 
• Bilingual fotonovela for Latino parents of preteens about HPV vaccine in English and Spanish 

You may request the above materials from your local health department.

For more details, you can read about the Cancer Prevention Act and associated changes to the Health and Safety Code and Education Code.  

Thank you, 

California Department of Public Health, Immunization Branch

Patients Traveling Abroad? Think Measles Vaccination.

As you may be aware, recent measles cases in the U.S. have been linked to international travel.

Before international travel, please make sure:

• Infants 6 through 11 months of age receive one dose of MMR vaccine. Infants who get one dose of MMR vaccine before their first birthday should get two more doses (one dose at 12 through 15 months of age and another dose separated by at least 28 days).
• Children 12 months of age and older receive two doses of MMR vaccine, separated by at least 28 days.
• Teenagers and adults who do not have presumptive evidence of immunity against measles get two doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days.

 For more information refer to this health advisory, these CDPH EZIZ Measles Resources, and the CDPH Immunization Branch Measles Page