HPV Vaccine Found to be Effective in Men

New research suggests that Gardasil, the vaccine developed to protect women against some strains of the cervical cancer-causing human papilloma-virus (HPV), is also effective in preventing HPV infections in men.

The clinical trial, conducted by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) with financial backing from Gardasil manufacturer Merck, may help to get the vaccine approved for use in men in Canada.

Results of the trial were presented at the 25th annual International Papillomavirus Conference in Sweden in May. Lead researcher Joel Palefsky noted that Gardasil appears slightly less effective in preventing HPV infection in men than in women.

“The numbers right now look not quite as good as the girls’ but still very, very good,” says Palefsky. “The vaccine was nearly 100 percent effective [in women] so you obviously can’t do better than that.”

Read the rest at Xtra.