
The HPV vaccine is as important for boys as it is for girls - vo2maxer
https://www.statnews.com/2019/09/11/new-evidence-shows-why-the-hpv-vaccine-is-as-important-for-boys-as-girls/
======
dandare
> HPV gives 34,800 Americans cancer every year, according to the Centers for
> Disease Control and Prevention. Of those, 20,700 are women and 14,100 are
> men.

> the burden of HPV positive oropharynx cancer in men in the United States now
> exceeds the burden of cervical cancer diagnosed each year

41% of all cancer victims of HPV are men and there is almost no public
awareness.

~~~
ajuc
This is often the case in society's reaction to problems of men and women, and
the result is that there's 4 years (5%) life expectancy gap between the sexes.

And it's completely ignored while salary gap (where the discrepancy is the
other way) is a hot topic for decades already.

It's ironic, that the response for male problems is "whatever, you're an
adult, deal with it", and for female problems it's "we need to help you".

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jt0
Also, if you or your partner are having receptive anal sex, ask your doctor
about getting an anal pap smear. 90% of anal cancers are caused by HPV. They
are slow growing and treatable. Screening is quick and easy.

[http://www.colonrectal.org/services.cfm/sid:7580/Abnormal_An...](http://www.colonrectal.org/services.cfm/sid:7580/Abnormal_Anal_Pap_Smear,_Anal_Dysplasia_and_Anal_Cancer/index.html)

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heyflyguy
Does it do anything for you if you're already infected but not cancerous? or
is it merely prevention from infection?

~~~
antoviaque
"In those already infected, the vaccines are not effective." \-
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HPV_vaccine#cite_note-
WHO2017-...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HPV_vaccine#cite_note-WHO2017-2)

~~~
monkeycantype
I've often wished I retained where I read it, but I read that in human trials
in China, that in some test subjects, all warts on their body cleared. Also
the researcher who developed the vaccine was my step-son's grandmother's next
door neighbour.

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root_axis
Another aspect to this that is not often discussed is that HPV-16 and HPV-18
increase the risk of penile cancer, no oral sex required.

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jdavis703
Looking at my HMO's website it seems like the vaccine is not recommended for
males over 26. The CDC also backs this up. Does this mean those of us over 26
are screwed? Is there anything we can do to check for cancers to catch an
infection early?

~~~
bendauphinee
FDA guidance has recently (within the last year) extended this out to age 45.

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pazimzadeh
"HPV vaccination is also recommended for everyone through age 26 years, if not
vaccinated already. Vaccination is not recommended for everyone older than age
26 years."
[https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/parents/vaccine.html](https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/parents/vaccine.html)

Does anyone know why? Is it because most sexually active people would already
have HPV at that point?

~~~
MauranKilom
They seem to imply so:

> However, some adults age 27 through 45 years who are not already vaccinated
> may decide to get HPV vaccine after speaking with their doctor about their
> risk for new HPV infections and the possible benefits of vaccination. HPV
> vaccination in this age range provides less benefit, as more people have
> already been exposed to HPV.

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adultSwim
So is screening. Men can be carriers of HPV.

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buss
I'm a 33 y/o male and just found out last week that the eligibility range has
been expanded, so I opted to get the vaccine. It's a three dose course over a
few months. Everybody should do it!

------
Yuval_Halevi
I saw this comment on Reddit:

>HPV in men causes a significant number of anal and mouth cancer, it is not
symptomless. And of course, vaccinated men can't pass it on to unvaccinated
women.

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bbsimonbb
[HPV vaccine is systematically given]([https://www.health.gov.au/news/protect-
your-kids-against-hpv...](https://www.health.gov.au/news/protect-your-kids-
against-
hpv?gclid=Cj0KCQjw9fntBRCGARIsAGjFq5FhBzOBX5Uwkbt3g1VQ9wQfBCPAg4qb7PyRJkpEaj--
ow-FGSZwmNUaAldfEALw_wcB)) to all 12 year olds, boys and girls, for free
through school vaccination programs.

~~~
bbsimonbb
...in Australia

~~~
mg794613
And the Netherlands. I got it when I was 18 as the girls were getting it, the
government decided it would be cheaper and more effective to do boys at the
same time. HPV effects have plummeted, but this is hard to prove. What shocks
me is that a lot of comments show a understanding of the average Facebook-mom.
(misinterpreting workings of herd immunity, whilst the article doesn't even
mention that, it clearly is about direct effects.) This is HN!

------
didibus
Can you get the vaccine as an adult? For some reason I always thought if you
didn't get it young it was too late to get it.

~~~
homero
They keep increasing the age, i think it's 26 now. That's only to get
insurance to pay, you can get it off label at any age

~~~
jt0
It's 45 now.

[https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/recs/grade/HPV-adults-
etr....](https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/recs/grade/HPV-adults-etr.html)

------
newnewpdro
Getting this vaccine especially for your kids is a no-brainer. HPV is
everywhere and it is not benign.

------
rolltiide
I paid for this vaccine out of pocket while I 25 and the treatments lasted
till after I was 26.

I would not be salty if insurers covered men and future people didnt have to
pay for it.

------
rolltiide
The reason that insurers dont cover it is because there isnt a test to see if
men have been exposed, the vaccine doesnt work if men have been exposed
already, and after a certain age you can assume that men have been exposed and
function as carriers. The cancers men get from hpv are either due to
cunnilingus or smoking, and there is no way to tell

------
nikanj
Because we need to get over the idea that boys and men are expendable, and
only women and children deserve protection

~~~
throwaway5752
That's the exact opposite of the point of the article. Men and boys don't get
the vaccine because they and their parents perceive it as a female-only
problem (cervical cancer induced by HPV). The article is trying to get
apathetic men and boys to realize that not only are they acting as carriers of
HPV that can kill their wives and partners, but they themselves can die from
HPV induced cancers.

~~~
nikanj
When I wrote my comment, the headline was something along the lines of "Why we
should vaccinate boys against HPV too". The headline has now been changed, and
my comment seems really odd.

~~~
belltaco
The meaning of the title hasn't changed much though. Is it too much to expect
people to read the article before making inflammatory MRA style comments?
Looks like a common problem in this thread.

------
sm4rk0
On the other hand (edit: an outdated article, see vo2maxer's comment below)
[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gardasil-researcher-speaks-
out/](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gardasil-researcher-speaks-out/)

"The risks of serious adverse events including death reported after Gardasil
use in (the JAMA article by CDC's Dr. Barbara Slade) were 3.4/100,000 doses
distributed. The rate of serious adverse events on par with the death rate of
cervical cancer. Gardasil has been associated with at least as many serious
adverse events as there are deaths from cervical cancer developing each year."

~~~
vo2maxer
We have another 10 years of evidence since this was posted in 2009 [1]. That
article quotes Diane Harper quite bit, and has also been discussed since [2].

[1]
[https://infectagentscancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.118...](https://infectagentscancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1750-9378-8-22)

[2] [https://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2013/08/16/yet-another-
an...](https://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2013/08/16/yet-another-antivaccine-
meme-rises-from-the-grave-again-no-diane-harper-doesnt-hate-gardasil)

~~~
sm4rk0
Thanks! Those are good arguments I was looking for (downvote accepted).

~~~
vo2maxer
Thank you, also. These are good discussions to have, particularly that we’ll
make the decision to vaccinate on behalf of others, our children. Many parents
are fearful or confused before the large amount of information pro and against
(unfounded) vaccines in general. Add the association of HPV and sexual
transmission, and it becomes more difficult to go ahead and vaccinate. I’ve
read the evidence carefully and have no doubt that despite the (low) risk of
adverse events, children of both sexes should have the HPV vaccine. As I said
in another comment, I think the recommended age will continue to expand given
the new favorable evidence in ongoing studies.

