There has been a lot in the news about the use of the Gardasil vaccine in women to prevent cervical cancer. Although the vaccine was created with women in mind, you might have also heard that it is also effective in preventing anal cancer in men. Last week, the
The new recommendation means, in effect, that doctors and clinics may now administer the vaccine at their discretion to boys and men ages 9 to 26, but they are not expected to offer it. Parents may consider the vaccine as an option for their sons, but some health insurers may choose not to cover the shots.
. . . vaccinating young men could reduce the amount of the virus circulating in the population and ultimately lower the incidence of HPV-related cancers in both sexes . . . A clinical trial of about 4,000 young men, sponsored by Merck, reported that the vaccine prevented 89 percent of genital warts.
Bear in mind that the approval is for men and boys in general, although next year Merck does plan to present studies on the efficacy of the vaccine against anal pre-cancers in men who have sex with men.
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