Merck, the first company in the world to introduce nine-valent and four-valent HPV vaccines, recently revealed that the National Medical Products Administration has authorized several new uses for Gardasil® [quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (brewer's yeast)] that can be administered to males between the ages of 9 and 26.males can effectively prevent disease by getting vaccinated against HPV thanks to the approval of the new indication, which makes Gardasil® the first and only HPV vaccine licensed for males in China.
"Another significant step in the nation's
reaction to the Healthy China 2030 appeal is the approval of the new
indication. In addition to cervical cancer, the HPV vaccine can prevent anal
cancer and genital warts brought on by HPV infection. "When compared to
women, men's HPV infection is rarely taken seriously," stated Professor
Qiao Youlin, a respected professor and researcher from Peking Union Medical
College's School of Population Medicine and Public Health. However, the rate of
HPV infection in male genitalia is actually higher than in female genitalia
worldwide.
Recently, the International
Papillomavirus Society (IPVS) has actively urged all nations to implement a
vaccination program for men and women as soon as possible, i.e., to promote HPV
vaccine equally to boys and girls of appropriate age in order to increase
vaccination coverage and optimize the effect of herd immunity. This is in
response to the WHO's Global Strategy for Accelerating the Elimination of
Cervical Cancer's '90-70-90' phased goal.
51 million Chinese women have had their health
protected since the Merck HPV vaccination was approved in China, according to
Anna Van Acker, senior vice president of Merck worldwide and president of Merck
China. According to related research, Gardasil® is safe and effective at
providing long-lasting protection. In addition to protecting men's health, the
approval of this new indication eventually contributes to a decrease in the HPV
virus's spread throughout the community. It is also very valuable and significant
for a broader range of public health.
Men should focus more on avoiding the negative
effects of HPV and eliminate certain popular misconceptions about their
cognitive abilities.
Myth 1: HPV infection solely causes cervical cancer in women, while it is safe
or has only modest effects in men.
Many people think that HPV infection can only
cause cervical cancer in women and that men can't get it. They also think that
even if men get HPV, it's a minor issue that can be quickly cured as long as
they have a healthy immune system.
In actuality, however, chronic infection with high-risk HPV strains can cause
precancerous lesions, anal, vaginal, vulvar, penile, oropharyngeal, and other
cancers in addition to cervical cancer.
Persistent HPV infection is responsible for
88% of anal cancer, according to pertinent research. About 90% of genital warts
are associated with low-risk HPV6 and HPV11 infections. Genital warts are
referred to as genital warts caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which
are prone to recurrence. Chinese men are frequently infected with HPV6/11/16.
It is common to undervalue the multifaceted costs of diseases caused by HPV
infection on men and their families, including those linked to illness,
finances, and mental health.
China has seen a rise in the frequency and number of HPV-related malignancies
in recent years. Negative emotions like fear, melancholy, guilt, and annoyance
are more common in patients who are informed that their HPV antibody test is
positive than in those who receive a negative result.
Second common misconception: Only sexually
active individuals will contract HPV, and men have a very low risk of
infection.
In actuality, HPV is very adaptive to its surroundings and spreads by direct or
indirect contact via a variety of channels. Multiple body parts can become
infected with HPV, and trauma or skin damage are also significant risk factors.
Genital warts and anal cancer may result from a persistent HPV infection of
several skin and mucosal surfaces. The average recovery period following an HPV
infection is over two years, and recurrent infection is simple.
However, HPV infection is difficult to
identify or sense in its early stages and frequently exhibits no overt clinical
symptoms. The lack of standard HPV screening and testing procedures for men
further obscures the health risks associated with HPV infection.
In the future, HPV vaccination will be a line of defense for health protection
for both men and women thanks to the approval of the new indication for
Gardasil®!