Boys Up Next for HPV Vaccine Gardasil?
It’s been a bit of a hard sell for the pharmaceutical companies to convince parents that their preteen daughters ought to get vaccinated against HPV, the human papilloma virus known to cause cervical cancer and genital warts.
Some conservatives worry the vaccine could encourage early sexual activity. Others lament the vaccine’s high cost –typically $360 for the required three doses-- and a few critics question its safety.
Still, marketing strategies and strong support from pediatricians and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have paid off. Nearly 25% percent of young women between 13 to 17 years old received the HPV vaccine Gardasil in 2007 the year after its launch, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"In general, we're quite pleased with the results at 25 percent. But it points out that we've got a long ways to go." says Dr. Lance Rodewald, head of the CDC's division of immunization services.
Now Merck and Co., the drug maker that sells the vaccine in the U.S., is seeking federal approval to market Gardisil to boys.
