Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Prepubescent Gay Boys' HPV Vaccination: FDA Consideration

The massive risk of homosexual anal sex is prompting the Feds to consider a nationwide campaign to vaccinate the targets of adult homosexual men.

Jane J. Kim, Ph.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health says that ideally vaccines should be given to young "gay boys" before their "sexual debut."

-- From "Should young men who have sex with men be targeted for HPV vaccinations?" posted at American Council On Science And Health 11/3/10

Vaccinating men who have sex with men (MSM) against the human papillomavirus is a cost-effective method for preventing anal cancer and gential warts, a new analysis published in Lancet Infectious Diseases has found. Last year the FDA approved the use of Merck’s HPV vaccine Gardasil to prevent genital warts for boys and men ages 9 to 26 . . .

. . . Dr. Whelan notes: “Unfortunately, by that age [post-pubescent], most of the target group will likely have already acquired HPV infection, thereby reducing the efficacy of the vaccine. Earlier vaccination would also likely be protective against other HPV-related cancers, such as oral cancer.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "HPV shot dilemma: Should gay boys be targeted?" by JoNel Aleccia, Health writer, MSNBC.com 11/12/2010

A government health panel [of the FDA] is expected to vote soon on whether to recommend vaccinating boys and young men against the human papillomavirus. Since 2006, the vaccine has been advised in girls and young women ages 9 to 26 to prevent cervical cancer and genital warts — though only about a third of those eligible actually have received it.

But now, growing evidence shows that the vaccine also may prevent anal cancer, particularly in the high-risk groups of homosexual and bisexual men, who are about 20 times more likely than heterosexuals to develop the disease.

But HPV vaccine critics contend that it’s overkill to recommend vaccinating all boys and men in order to protect a small group from what’s estimated at about 5,000 cases of HPV-related invasive cancers each year.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.