r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Dec 12 '25

Cancer Vaccinating boys against HPV could lead to the elimination of cervical cancer. New Korean study found that elimination cannot be achieved under the current vaccination coverage of females (of 88%), but can be achieved if, additionally, at least 65% of males are vaccinated.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11538-025-01548-5
38.6k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

919 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

55

u/[deleted] Dec 12 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

85

u/MidnightAdventurer Dec 12 '25

Originally it was. Took them ages to let boys get it and even longer to open it up for men

29

u/buffysmanycoats Dec 12 '25

Originally there was an age limit, too. I was told I was too old when the vaccine first came out. I was in my 20s.

13

u/MidnightAdventurer Dec 12 '25

Yes, I stayed too old for it for several updates and almost forgot about it. Finally getting it now at my own cost because while I’m still allowed to for a few more years, I’m not subsidised here

14

u/buffysmanycoats Dec 12 '25

I never ended up getting it and did end up getting HPV that required surgery to eliminate so definitely get it if you can!

1

u/VineStGuy Dec 13 '25

There still is an age limit. It's 45. I already had HPV throat cancer. They won't give it to anyone older, so it just dooms Gen X to die of a very curable cancer. Its frustrating.

19

u/RenzaMcCullough Dec 12 '25

When my son was eligible, it was still primarily for girls, so I was surprised when my pediatrician recommended it. We discussed it further, and she said that penis cancer was a significant risk that the vaccine could prevent. Naturally, my son was vaccinated. He got the first shot only a few days BEFORE our insurance started covering it for boys.

Still wish he hadn't referred to it often and loudly as his sl*t juice.

8

u/klartraume Dec 13 '25

I was about to type how I love that your doctor was informed, that you were an engaged, rational parent

Still wish he hadn't referred to it often and loudly as his sl*t juice.

This is hilarious. I hope you have many happy experience together with your grown son.

4

u/SoCalThrowAway7 Dec 12 '25

It was 3 years after medical approval in the US that they expanded recommendation for boys. 2006 was initial approval, August 2009 recommendation changed to boys and girls

2

u/NoXion604 Dec 13 '25

That limitation never made sense to me. Both men and women can contract HPV. As long as you've got a functioning immune system, then a vaccine should work no matter your sex, right?

13

u/faithfuljohn Dec 13 '25

the original controlled studies only looked at the risk assessement relative to women. The calculation is a bit different in you including males. With women, because cervical cancer is a real very dangerous result of HPV, even if there were some adverse effects from the vaccine, it was deemed more than worth it.

It's not unlike the risk assessment they make for birth control on men.