 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | Christine said....This (Gardasil vaccine)should be available to boys too.
It is available for boys but your PCP will probably only recommend it for Genital warts as the CDC gave it it's Permissive Recommendation which is one step below a Routine Recommendation that the female version has. In a Routine Rec the doctor is obligated to inform the patient of the availability and if it's approved for the VFC (Vaccine for Children) program, which both the male and the female version are, then it may be free to the patient. Under a Permissive Rec, the doctor is not obligated to recommend it but if a patient asks for it, then it will be made available and again free if the patient comes under the VFC guidelines.
Re the advertising of this product, I think Gardasil has hit the market really strong on the female front and in spite of that we have only seen a 17% vaccination rate. It remains to be seen what, if any, advertising is done on the male side since again it's only approved for and can therefore only be advertised for Genital warts.
With only 17% of females getting the prescribed 3 shots and the male version only recommended for Genital warts, males will continue to be totally at risk to not only contract the virus but spread it.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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