We've discussed the topic of vaccines before.  It used to be that the HPV vaccine was only recommended for women, and could be used off-label for guys.  Now a U.S. panel is officially recommending that all boys get vaccinated because the efficacy is so high in males as well.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2 ... USTRE79O4L120111025

The reason for the young vaccination age of course is that they're trying to get the population before they hit the sexually active years, since once you're exposed to the HPV virus the  vaccine doesn't help you.

I wonder if my medical insurance will cover it. rather pricey.  

rumored of mental retardation, eh?

$360 not that expensive compare to HK.
Last check with male specialist health clinic was HK$3,800 and my family doc quoted me HK$2,850
.

I will take the shots in DEc, for family planning.

Female = Cervarix shots

MAle = Gardasil shots.

What about boys over 26? Get it or not?

It's a probability thing.  You can talk it over with your doc, but even he likely won't know the right answer.

The reason they don't recommend the vaccine past a certain age is simply because by your 20's it's statistically likely that you've already gotten the HPV strains that the vaccine protects against.  It's not that the vaccine won't work on an adult (which is the problem for the TB vaccine), it's that the statisticians are guessing that you already got the bug.  I don't know about you, but I don't like medicine practiced that way.

You can be tested for HPV (and the specific strain) but only if the infection is active (which will show no visible signs to you for all of the HPV strains except for maybe the wart version (16,18,31)).  If the virus is dormant you will test clean.

Even if you have HPV, your odds of getting penile cancer, etc. from it are very low, but it's a bigger help to your SO because you won't pass it on to her and girls are more seriously at risk from cervical cancer than we are from penile and anal cancer.

I'm willing to bet that if the vaccine was cheaper that they would recommend every sexually active adult get it, but they like to do these cost/benefit studies, blah, blah.  Get the shots if cost is not problem for you is my plan.

CL,

you should get the shots.....highly recommended for your age.

holy crap HK$3,800 for just the single shot that is pricey
but i guess you got do it to be safe

does this mean you'll need repeat sessions for life?
3 shots, 4 times a year = 12 needles (shivers) = HKD$3,800 x 4 = HKD$15,200 per year

i was hoping for a once in a life time kinda shot(s)?

can someone confirm?

Butler,  The risk for men is not penile cancer, it is throat cancer.  It is much higher than previously thought.  See http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4473 ... l-sex/#.TqgY0fL6swc

According to US CDC on the Gardasil shots as a vaccine against HPV
1st dose
2nd dose - 1-2 months later
3rd dose - 6 months after 1st dose

No boosters.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs ... is-hpv-gardasil.pdf
May 3rd, 2011

Kinda kills all the fun in doing DATY on a working girl doesn't it? Thanks for the link.  Once again the evil HPV-16 rears its ugly head!  

Edit: On second thought: are they differentiating between homo and hetero sex?  I haven't seen data on which is more likely to give you oral HPV.  One would naturally assume that sucking off a tranny and letting them blow in your mouth would be more likely to transmit HPV than licking a WG's hairy clam, but these things can surprise you.

[ Last edited by  TheButler at 27-10-2011 02:44 ]

3,800 for 3 shots.

Go check local clinic, 1K cheaper.

I forgot the gap (mths) between each shot. Check with doctor.

I will be getting it soon. Then I go into celibate state of higher conciousness!!!!
Retiring!!!

insurance in usa usually will cover it when someone asks for it. I am assuming no different when I requested the Hep B vacc.

Personally I am leery about trying out the latest & greatest medication.  Also I told back in the days there was no booster for Hep B.  then many yrs later, I was told there was a booster shot

Insurance likely won't cover this for grownups because of the upper age limit.  It depends on how high end your plan is.  Many companies now will insure you for a generic medication, but not a name-brand.  Likewise for other treatments, if it's "off label" some plans won't pay for it but if you have a 'cadillac' plan you'll be covered.

I agree with you Sirtiger about being a guinea pig for new treatments.  I think this risk is higher for very long courses of medication (like Fosamax for bone osteoporosis, or a heart medication, etc.).  If it's a new drug and you're going to have to take it every day for the rest of your life then you will be the guinea pig as the clinical trials would have been form much shorter periods.

However if it's a vaccine, or a two week course of something, etc. then I'd lean toward taking the new treatment.  Like the new malaria vaccine.  When they get that thing past phase III I'll be first in line!

Beecrazy has a deal ongoing for HPV vaccines and works for males and females - 2180HKD for 3 doses.

http://beecrazy.hk/hong-kong/dea ... cination-given-by-a

Deal ends tonight at midnight.

Only worry for those planning for the vaccine is the screening, but it says they guarantee a full cash refund if the doc says no.