HPV VACCINE RECOMMENDED FOR YOUNG MEN AND BOYS
HPV VACCINE RECOMMENDED FOR YOUNG MEN AND BOYS In a nearly unanimous vote, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that boys and young men, age 11 through age 21,
HPV VACCINE RECOMMENDED FOR YOUNG MEN AND BOYS
In a nearly unanimous vote, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that boys and young men, ages 11 through age 21, be routinely vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV). In addition, the federal committee voted on whether boys as young as age 9 and men, ages 22 through 26, could be started on the vaccine, with eight voting in favor, five against, and one abstention. As is the case with girls and young women, the HPV vaccine is designed to provide protection against the types of cancer that can result from sexual activity. One reason for the push to vaccinate boys is that far fewer girls than had been hoped are being vaccinated, due to both safety and moral concerns on the part of their legal guardians.
In the limelight as a political hot button, HPV is now considered the most common sexually transmitted virus. According to the National Cancer Institute, there are more than 150 types of HPV, and more than 40 of these can be sexually transmitted. Many HPV infections are symptomless and disappear on their own. Some cause warts. Others can cause cancer. Statistics from the CDC indicate that as many as 20 million Americans are currently infected with some form of the virus, with approximately 6 million more infected yearly. At least half the sexually active population will contract it at some point in their lives.
The HPV 16 and 18 strains are the two types linked to most cervical and anal cancers. In addition, HPV 16 has also been found to cause as much as 70% of all oropharyngeal cancers— which are reportedly on the rise in men. This is particularly pertinent to the dental community as oral cancer, which has been on the increase, is linked to HPV. The vaccines—Gardasil and Cervarix—are administered three times over six months, and though carrying a price tag of more than $350, the federal endorsement of their use is expected to encourage insurers to cover the cost.
