If a male student had gone to see Dr. David Berndt at the MSU Student Health Center a year ago and requested the vaccine for the Human Papillomavirus, he would have been denied.

Until three months ago, the vaccine for this sexually transmitted disease was offered only to women. Last October, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that boys and young men be offered the vaccination as well.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in America, with millions of sexually active people being affected each year. First approved in 2006, the vaccine was initially intended to be given in a three-shot series to girls around age 12 although it can be given any-time from ages 9 through 26.

The HPV vaccine is safe and effective in preventing new infections and abnormal pap smears which can develop into cancer.

In addition to causing genital warts and around 70 percent of cervical cancer cases in women, HPV can also cause penile, anal and oropharynx cancer in men. In October, the ACIP voted to make the vaccine available for men.

There has been much controversy in the medical community over this decision, namely because of cost effectiveness. Anal and penile cancers are extremely rare compared to the cervical cancer that affects women.

“Because the burden of the disease in men is much lower than in women, it is two to four times less cost effective to give the vaccine to men.” Berndt said. “We [the medical community] get much more benefit for the money we put into it for women than the money we put into it for men.”

There are also some who believe in “herd immunity,” which means that if enough women are vaccinated, there would be no need to vaccinate men because risk of transmission of the disease would be drastically reduced. Despite these arguments, the panel passed the new decision and the HPV vaccine is now offered to men around the country, including in the Health Center at Montana State.

Although this development occurred over three months ago, only a small number of male students have gone to the MSU clinic and requested the vaccine.

For both genders, Berndt explained, “Some misconceptions still exist about the safety and side effects [of the vaccine]. Speaking with a knowledgeable health care provider can help address those misconceptions.”

Any questions about the Human Papillomavirus or the vaccine can be addressed to the Student Health Service at 406-994-2311.