If we’re soon able to vaccinate boys and men against HPV,
can we afford to?

An FDA panel has recommended that use of the approved HPV vaccine be extended to males to prevent genital warts. The recommendation addresses safety and efficacy, but not cost-effectiveness.

Senior Editor

The quadrivalent vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV), approved for use in females several years ago to prevent cervical cancer, appears set to get the nod from the FDA for prevention of genital warts in boys and men. A key panel—the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee—voted in September to extend use of the vaccine (Gardasil; Merck) to males 9 to 26 years old.

The FDA usually follows the recommendations of its advisory committees.