By Jason Koebler
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Growing concerns about the spread of human papillomavirus may lead to a vaccine, now available for women, to be administered to men.
Due to the popularity of Gardasil, the HPV vaccine for women, its manufacturer is now researching a male version of the vaccine. The male option, which would be identical to the current vaccine, may be approved by the Food and Drug Administration as early as 2008, said Janet Skidmore, director of Merck media relations.
“There are currently clinical trials being conducted around the U.S. that are sponsored by Merck,” Skidmore said. “The initial results are promising.”
The vaccine is currently offered to men by some doctors under “off-licensed” status, as reported by BBC News.
While generally considered a benign virus in men, HPV can cause genital warts and possibly lead to penile and anal cancer, studies say. The vaccine would be marketed toward gay and bisexual men, who are particularly at risk, according to Skidmore.
Gardasil has been encouraged in women because some HPV strains can cause cervical cancer. Every year, about 10,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and almost 4,000 women die from the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Every year, about 6.2 million Americans acquire a genital HPV infection. Among sexually active men, 1 percent are estimated to have genital warts, but often the symptoms of HPV are not visible, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say.
Currently, there is not even a public test for HPV available for males with the disease.
“It would be wonderful if a test [for men] was made available for public use,” said Alli Matson, the University Health Center’s sexual health program coordinator, who added that a public vaccine for men would help prevent the spread of HPV.
The health center, which has provided Gardasil since October, has immunized less than 100 female students as of February, the most recent record of vaccination, Matson said.
The main reason for the small student interest has been the vaccine’s high cost, Matson said. The vaccination is a three injection process, offered at the health center for $150 per injection.
Currently, the vaccine is only offered to female students ages 9 through 26, and it is not covered by the university-sponsored insurance program.
“Since the health center doesn’t take insurance [for the vaccine], a lot of girls get it done by their home doctor,” she said.
Despite the lack of immunizations, there has been a large amount of interest in the vaccine.
The high costs of the vaccination have led Maryland lawmakers to kill bills that would have required vaccination for schoolaged girls, a measure taken in Texas.
Matson said male students have expressed interest in the HPV vaccine only for their significant others.
“I have not had a single man ask about HPV testing or vaccination for themselves,” she said. “One man once asked why there was no test or vaccine for men, but never said he would consider taking it.”
An official at Planned Parenthood in Silver Spring said she had never heard of a man wanting the shot. Lack of interest for the HPV vaccinations has led the clinic to discontinue the service.
“My understanding is that it is for females only,” she said. Student opinion on the issue was mixed. Senior criminology major Sean Foster said he would gladly take the vaccine. “I wouldn’t want the girl to get cancer because of me. I care about others,” he said.
Others were not as receptive. Richard Lukasik, a sophomore criminal justice major, decided that the risks for men were too low to justify getting the vaccine. “It doesn’t really affect me. I don’t have [HPV],” he said.
Angela Gentile, a freshman letters and sciences major, said she supports males getting the vaccine. “I’m going to get the vaccine — just to be safe,” she said. “I’d like it if guys got it too, just to be considerate.”