Vaccinate only girls for HPV, say Dutch researchers

 

One of the most widely discussed sexual health topics this year was whether young people should be vaccinated against the Human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection (STI). While some individuals believe that this is a wise step towards reducing the risk of health complications among teens, others are under the impression that this sends a message to adolescents that promotes promiscuity.

Originally, this vaccine was designed to be given to girls, and mostly females between the ages of 12 and 26 were receiving the shot. Then, in October 2011?, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that the vaccine be given to boys as well. The majority of the debate among healthcare providers regarding whether young men should get this shot was over its cost-effectiveness. In the end, researchers determined that it would be worth the cost to lower incidence of the disease.

Recent research from the Netherlands challenges this claim, however, as scientists believe that vaccinating only girls is the best method to reduce HPV rates. Study authors used a mathematical model to come to their conclusion, and stated that the tool clearly shows that since girls get the infection more often, vaccinating only them would result in the largest population-wide reduction of HPV.

According to researchers, vaccinating just women could even reduce infection rates among men who have sex with men.

"Our study shows that female-only vaccination will never achieve the maximum possible reduction in HPV prevalence among [men who have sex with men], but the realized reductions could constitute a considerable health benefit," said the scientists, quoted by the LA Times.

The results of this study call for more research into the most effective method for eradicating this STI, which has been associated with increasing a person's risk of cancer.