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HPV Shot: Leave Boys (Warts and All) Unvaccinated, Experts Say
Filed under: In The News, Sex
Is the HPV shot worthwhile for boys? Credit: Getty Images
Of course, human papillomavirus (HPV) can do more than put knots in your wood. In rare cases -- maybe 5,000 or so a year -- it can cause cancer severe enough (occasionally) to cancel your subscription to Life.
Never mind that. The New York Times reports federal vaccine advisers are focusing on this whole warts thing. They question whether or not it's worth the time, trouble and expense of promoting the vaccine just to spare boys a few genital warts later in life.
Doing so, The Times reports, also could divert attention from promoting the vaccine among girls who need it to prevent cervical cancer. Boys who have been vaccinated can protect their partners, but health officials argue it's still more effective to get as many girls directly immunized as possible.
In other words, girls, take responsibility for your own health and safety. Don't depend on the guy to protect you from anything.
Dr. Franklyn Judson, a member of the government's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and a professor at the University of Colorado, tells The Times few guys care about genital warts.
They don't so much care what they look like down there, so long as all the moving parts are working properly.
"In fact, 50 percent of patients who end up being diagnosed in an STD clinic didn't even notice them (the warts) or were not overly concerned about them," Judson tells the newspaper.
However, Dr. James C. Turner, a liaison to the committee from the American College Health Association, tells The Times men and boys do care about warts "not because of the medical consequences, but because of the social consequences."
It's a matter of keeping up appearances.
"I would say that the men that I see would rate genital warts on the quality scale just above death," Turner adds.
Although genital warts are the most common consequence, HPV can also cause cervical, anal and some head and throat cancers. The bug can be passed through intercourse, anal or oral sex and even kissing.
However, with the vaccine potentially preventing -- at most -- 5,000 cases of cancer in males a year, experts still debate if it's worth it.
According to The Times, fewer than 1 percent of boys ages 11-17 have been immunized against HPV. But Turner tells the newspaper the number shoots up 15 percent on college campuses.
Girls are the ones who really need the vaccine, The Times reports. Campaigns to get girls vaccinated have reportedly not been very effective even though the vaccine can save girls' lives.
All the more reasons, experts tell the newspaper, to focus on girls and leave the boys to their warts.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
11-01-2010 @ 4:32PM
Alicia said...Uh how about the fact that men can contract HPV without having warts and then spread it to their sexual partners? This will protect women too. And I love how they gleefully inject girls with untested risky vaccines, but refuse to do the same to boys (not that it should be done to anyone, especially children, but their double standard is showing).
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11-02-2010 @ 5:47AM
chloe said...HPV doesn't detract from your many desirable qualities, which have drawn people to you in the past and will continue to make you a great catch.
Come to HPVDatings.com---Keep dating, and you will find someone who wants to be with you regardless of your STD status.
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11-02-2010 @ 9:20AM
lizd said..."They question whether or not it's worth the time, trouble and expense of promoting the vaccine just to spare boys a few genital warts later in life."
How do these "experts" think girls are contracting this disease? Just another example of the sexist culture we live in. If a boy getting the vaccine can help to prevent the disease then they should be vaccinated along with the girls.
We all have mothers and sisters- wouldn't you do all you could to keep them safe??
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11-02-2010 @ 4:54PM
Real Momma said...Girls are being stricken by the HPV vaccine and some are dying. This promotion of vaccinating boys for HPV is simply the pharmaceutical companies' who manufacture this vaccine way of increasing profits. Go to www.nvic.org for information on HPV and other vaccines.
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11-29-2010 @ 3:11PM
Kat said...So basically, this article is saying its the girls fault if she gets cancer or HPV because she didn't get vaccinated in time? And who cares about the guys? What about the guy's RESPONSIBILITY for their partner, or their own health? Oh, thats right...they don't have to have any. It's always the girls fault for contracting a disease because she slept with a guy, or getting pregnant because the GUY doesn't want to wear a condom. Enough excuses and double standards. Girls already have the responsibility put on us to not get pregnant...guys should take equal responsibility...or be celibate until they want to take some responsibility for their actions.
Ladies:
It's time we DEMAND that men take as much sexual responsibility as women have to. They should get vaccinated, and use a condom every time. No glove. No love. Either that, or DO NOT have sex with a man who won't. Take it from me. When I was 18 I was with a man who refused to wear condoms, and the birth control I used messed up my body so badly, the doctors have told me I won't ever be able to have children. All because I had to be the responsible one who didn't want to get pregnant before I was ready to.
Even though I can't have children, I still use the pill, and insist my guy wears a condom...because he's not ready for kids...and I don't want him BLAMING me, if by some miracle, I actually manage to get pregnant before he's ready to grow up and take some responsibility.
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