HPV Vaccine Recommended For Boys
January 27, 2012 No Comments
Boys should be given the HPV vaccine, according to medical advice.
A Canadian federal panel recommends that men aged nine to 26 receive the human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil.
“Both genders contribute to the spread of HPV and develop diseases as a result of HPV infection,” advises the head of adolescent medicine at Montreal Children’s Hospital, spokesperson for the Canadian Association of Adolescent Health, Dr. Franziska Baltzer.
Maura Gillison, who studied 5,579 people at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, says human papillomavirus infections of the mouth and throat are most common amongst men. Ten point one percent of affected participants were male, while 3.6 percent were female.
According to Gillison, “The single greatest factor (in the disease) is the number of partners on whom the person has performed oral sex.”
The increased risk of HPV, which can lead to cancer, to men and their partners has been overlooked for some time. With new medical evidence there is a clear need to fund and promote the vaccination for men.
And what of the high-pitched parents who don’t want their baby girls getting this vaccine, based on the notion it will turn their shiny-haired virgins into the women in rap videos. Will they react differently to their sons’ need for adequate healthcare? We shall see.
Contact the author here: miriam@morningquickie.com
