• 3/30/2008
  • Rochester, NY
  • staff
  • WHEC-TV (www.whec.com)

The FDA is deciding whether to give young boys a vaccine that prevents cervical cancer in older women. Right now, Gardasil, which was developed at the U of R Medical Center, is given to girls ages 9 through 26.

Gardisil is the only vaccine available to protect against HPV, the virus that can cause cervical cancer. It was developed by the researches and the U of R Medical Center, and was marketed to teens beginning last year. But now the drug maker says giving it boys may help men from spreading the HPV virus.

A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that infection with HPV through oral sex is now the leading cause of throat cancer which strikes 11,000 men and women each year. HPV is also a major cause of anal cancer and genital warts both affect men and women.

Doctors say the increase in throat cancer is troubling because it’s usually associated with alcohol and heavy smoking. But we asked Dr. Michael Haben, a head and neck cancer expert with the Wilmot Cancer Center, and he said he’s not convinced there is enough evidence yet to support the vaccine for boys.

“I don’t think the research will bear out that we have a proven benefit from wither the transmission or a reduction in throat cancers related to any possible connection to the virus. I wouldn’t be the first to run out and have the HPV vaccine for boys,” said Otolaryngologist Haben.

Sometime this year Merck the maker of the vaccine will submit data to the FDA looking for approval to give Gardasil to boys.

In Australia, Mexico and some European countries the vaccine is approved for boys.