CJ is a physician, which is why i pinged him to answer the question as to whether the vaccine would be effective in males. I am the mother of 14 and 20 yo females. my 20 yo turned it down on her own, at the gynecologist, as we had fully discussed it. i declined it on behalf of my 14 yo. we are not ignorant, my husband and i are both lawyers, we are informed.
Thanks for your response. I too got informed, and weighed it out. I gave my daughter the option to decline, while informing her of the skyrocketting cervical cancer rates.
I let her make the decision and she had my full support. I pray every day, that it was the right decision, on both our parts.
It takes good parents to stay informed, and too keep their kids informed.
Kudos!
It’s only approved in females ages 11-26. It’s in Phase III trials in boys. The consequences of HPV infection are much more severe in women - cervical or vulvar cancers. Uncircumcised males can develop squamous cell cancer of the penis, but much later in life than women develop cervical cancer. Squamous cell cancer of the anus can occur in both men and women, but more commonly in HIV-infected individuals.
Someone mentioned oral-pharyngeal cancer earlier. That can occur in both males and females regardless of smoking or dipping history, or HIV status.