May 19, 2015 – Boys and Girls

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Anchor lead: New data showing the benefits of the HPV vaccine can be applied to more than cervical cancer, Elizabeth Tracey reports

Preventing cervical cancer is the aim of the HPV vaccine, which was shown in a recent study to reduce precancerous lesions by 44% in girls who got all three doses.  But Joseph Califano, an HPV expert at Johns Hopkins, says there are more benefits to the vaccine.

Califano: HPV is not just something that can cause warts and dysplasia, it can cause cervical cancer, anal cancer, and cancer of the mouth and throat.  :07

Califano says boys as well as girls also benefit.

Califano: Certainly the vaccine is approved for boys already, and we know its effective in boys, and the more kids that get vaccinated the more likelihood that all of us will be protected.  When I say all of us I mean all of our children. HPV vaccines work and they prevent kids from getting premalignant conditions, so if you want to prevent your child from getting cancer they need to get the HPV vaccine.  :18

The study showed that completing the vaccine series before the age of sexual activity was necessary to reap the benefits. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.