An advisory panel recently suggested boys over the age of 11 be vaccinated for human papillomavirus, or HPV. This virus is only transmitted through sex, and has become the topic of much debate.
The history of the vaccine
In 2006, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended young girls get the vaccine. It requires three shots over the course of several months, and is quite expensive. However the vaccination rates have remained low as parents opt out of the shots because it is linked to sexual behavior. Now that same vaccine is being recommended for young boys.
HPV, what it is and whom it affects
HPV infection is a common STD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 75 to 80 percent of females and males in the United States will be infected at some point in their lives. While most people will battle the infection with no side effects, some people deal with cellular changes that cause warts or cancer. This can include cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers in women and anal cancers in men and women.
A controversial decision
While it is recommended, many parents are not embracing this new suggestion because many don’t believe their child will have sex at a young age. Many doctors believe this naive outlook is not in the best interest of public health, but it’s still a decision that is up to parents. Some doctors are now pushing the vaccine publicly.
“This is cancer for Pete’s sake,” said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the department of preventative medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and a nonvoting member of the committee. “A vaccine against cancer was the dream of our youth.”
Statistics show less than one third of teenage girls between the age of 13 to 17 have gotten all three vaccines and some fear the same results will happen with teenage boys.
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