Giving Gardasil to Boys Not Worth the Cost

But other experts dispute finding, and say young men need protection from STDs

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

Related Encyclopedia • Abscess • Acne • Actinomycosis • Acute Myeloid Leukemia (Adult) More... Related Healthscout Videos Weighted Belt for Autism? Teaching Old Docs New Tricks Lead in Soil. Optimistic Healing More... Related Animations • Animation: What is Genital Herpes? • Breast Reduction • Breast Self-Exam Video • Dental Cavities More... Related Drug Information • Abilify • Actonel • Adderal XR • Augmentin More... Related News Articles • Childhood Brain Tumors Leave Lasting Mark • Diet Soda and Salt: Destroying your Kidneys? • Health Tip: Nails Can Reveal Your Health • Folate Levels in Pregnancy Tied to ADHD in Offspring More...

THURSDAY, Oct. 8 (HealthDay News) -- The cost of giving boys the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine would outweigh any health benefit, researchers say.

Last month, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel recommended expanding use of the Gardasil vaccine to males aged 9 to 26 to protect them from genital warts, but the cost effectiveness of such a program was unclear at the time.

Text Continues Below

---

But researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health conducted such an analysis comparing a girls-only vaccination program with a co-ed vaccination program. Currently, Gardasil is approved for girls aged 9 and over to protect them from cervical cancer.

"This study found that while vaccine coverage and efficacy are high in girls, including boys in an HPV vaccination program generally exceeds what the U.S. typically considers good value for money," said lead researcher Jane Kim, an assistant professor of health decision science.

The report is published in the Oct. 9 online edition of the British Medical Journal.

Vaccination was considered a good value if cost-effectiveness ratios ranged from $50,000 to $100,000 per quality-adjusted life year, meaning the cost of the vaccine vs. the number of added years someone would gain by getting the vaccine.

Assuming 75 percent coverage and lifelong protection, the researchers found routine vaccination of 12-year-old girls was a good value at less than $50,000 per quality-adjusted life year. However, adding preadolescent boys increased the cost-effectiveness ratio to more than $100,000 per quality-adjusted life year. The researchers considered treatment for conditions caused by HPV, including anogenital and oral cancers, genital warts, and juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

"Only under optimistic assumptions of high, lifelong vaccine efficacy against all HPV-related health conditions, or lower vaccine efficacy accompanied by lower coverage or vaccine costs, did vaccinating both girls and boys fall below $100,000 per quality-adjusted life year," Kim said.

Page:  1 | 2 | 3 | Next >>