American Academy of Pediatrics Backs CDC’s Recommendation of HPV Vaccinations for Boys

As Dimensions of Dental Hygiene reported in November’s Hygiene Connection, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all boys and girls ages 11 and 12 be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV). And now the American Academy of Pediatrics is echoing this recommendation through its policy statement, “HPV Vaccine Recommendations,” published in the March issue of Pediatrics.

The statement recommends that boys receive the three-shot regimen of quadrivalent HPV vaccine (Gardasil, Merck & Co Inc), which provides protection against genital warts and anal cancer. Men are also at risk of HPV-related oral and pharynx cancers, and while HPV immunization has not been studied as a means of preventing these types of cancers, the academy notes that it is biologically possible. Also, due to low HPV vaccination rates among girls, it is believed that the immunization of boys may indirectly protect girls through herd immunity.

The American Academy of Pediatrics hopes its recommendation of the vaccine will make it part of the standard adolescent immunization platform, and anticipates insurance carriers will cover the estimated $360 cost of the vaccination series.