2023-09-02 10:47:47
From October 2, a free vaccination campaign will start for fifth graders in some regions of France, preceded by an awareness campaign on the importance of vaccination. This initiative is hailed by public health experts because of its potential to significantly reduce HPV-associated cancers.
Every year in France, human papillomaviruses are responsible for more than 6,000 new cases of cancer, mainly affecting the cervix, but also other regions of the ENT sphere, the anus, the penis, the vulva, and the vagina . Sadly, these cancers cause approximately 1,100 deaths each year. These alarming figures prompted health authorities to review their vaccination strategy for a broader protection of the population.
A recent study published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet revealed that 31% of men over the age of 15 in France are infected with an HPV type virus, and among them, 21% carry a potentially oncogenic variant, that is to say likely to cause a cancer. This data shows how important the vaccination of boys is to protect them directly once morest genital cancers and genital warts, for which the effectiveness of the vaccine is already established.
Broad vaccine protection
But the benefits don’t stop there. Vaccinating boys also offers likely protection once morest ENT cancers, which are more common in men and often caused by HPV. This extended protection might help reduce the burden of these cancers in the male population. Another major reason for this extension of vaccination lies in reducing virus transmission. Vaccinated boys are less likely to spread HPV to girls with which they are in contact, thus reducing the circulation of the virus in the general population. This is part of a global approach aimed at eradicating HPV and preventing the associated cancers (source 1).
The need to include boys in the vaccination program has been highlighted by courageous public figures who have shared their experience with these cancers. Last January, Arthur Sadoun, the boss of the French communication group Publicis, publicly mentioned his tonsil cancer, caused by HPV. He also invited American actor Michael Douglas, also affected by ENT cancer due to the virus, to testify. These stories raised public awareness of the importance of vaccinating boys.
Vaccinating boys is a major step forward in the prevention of HPV-related cancers. In addition, it simplifies communication and promotion of the vaccine, because it is no longer reserved exclusively for young girls, but is aimed at all young people. This more inclusive approach should contribute to increase vaccination coverage, which is not yet optimal in France. By the end of 2022, only 48% of 15-year-old girls and 13% of boys had received at least one dose of the vaccine, leaving considerable room for improvement.
1693715492
#Boys #vaccinated #Papillomavirus