Male HPV Vaccine Will Need Careful Promotion

MONTREAL — Although the prevalence of human papillomavirus is similar among females and males, physicians will need to be careful about promoting a vaccine that specifically targets men, according to a survey of male college students.

Efficacy trials suggest that the Gardasil HPV vaccine, which is currently approved for females only, is efficacious in males, and it could be approved for this population as early as the fall, said Mary Gerend, Ph.D., of Florida State University, Tallahassee.

However, her study of 221 young males suggests that their attitudes about the acceptability of the vaccine are only slightly positive, and depend partly on what it is called. On a scale of 1 (unlikely) to 6 (very likely) they indicated a 3.6 level of interest in receiving the vaccine, she reported.

"Marketing it as 'the cervical cancer' vaccine may not be the most effective strategy for this group," she said at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

The men in her group were aged 18–26 years, and 96% of them were heterosexual. Although only 47% had a current partner, 81% indicated that they had had sexual intercourse. The group reported a mean of 4.8 lifetime partners (range 0–34).

"Younger men were more interested, as were gay and bisexual men," Dr. Gerend said, adding that other predictors of interest were having already had sex, having a current partner, and ever being tested for a sexually transmitted infection.

Regarding a potential name for the vaccine, most of the group (76%) said they preferred "Gardasil" or "the HPV vaccine."

In a separate study of 356 heterosexual male college students, Dr. Gerend found that emphasizing the benefits of vaccination for a man's partner versus the personal benefits did not boost interest in vaccination (Sex. Transm. Dis. 2009;36:58-62).

Dr. Gerend did not disclose any conflicts of interest.

MONTREAL — Although the prevalence of human papillomavirus is similar among females and males, physicians will need to be careful about promoting a vaccine that specifically targets men, according to a survey of male college students.

Efficacy trials suggest that the Gardasil HPV vaccine, which is currently approved for females only, is efficacious in males, and it could be approved for this population as early as the fall, said Mary Gerend, Ph.D., of Florida State University, Tallahassee.

However, her study of 221 young males suggests that their attitudes about the acceptability of the vaccine are only slightly positive, and depend partly on what it is called. On a scale of 1 (unlikely) to 6 (very likely) they indicated a 3.6 level of interest in receiving the vaccine, she reported.

"Marketing it as 'the cervical cancer' vaccine may not be the most effective strategy for this group," she said at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

The men in her group were aged 18–26 years, and 96% of them were heterosexual. Although only 47% had a current partner, 81% indicated that they had had sexual intercourse. The group reported a mean of 4.8 lifetime partners (range 0–34).

"Younger men were more interested, as were gay and bisexual men," Dr. Gerend said, adding that other predictors of interest were having already had sex, having a current partner, and ever being tested for a sexually transmitted infection.

Regarding a potential name for the vaccine, most of the group (76%) said they preferred "Gardasil" or "the HPV vaccine."

In a separate study of 356 heterosexual male college students, Dr. Gerend found that emphasizing the benefits of vaccination for a man's partner versus the personal benefits did not boost interest in vaccination (Sex. Transm. Dis. 2009;36:58-62).

Dr. Gerend did not disclose any conflicts of interest.

MONTREAL — Although the prevalence of human papillomavirus is similar among females and males, physicians will need to be careful about promoting a vaccine that specifically targets men, according to a survey of male college students.

Efficacy trials suggest that the Gardasil HPV vaccine, which is currently approved for females only, is efficacious in males, and it could be approved for this population as early as the fall, said Mary Gerend, Ph.D., of Florida State University, Tallahassee.

However, her study of 221 young males suggests that their attitudes about the acceptability of the vaccine are only slightly positive, and depend partly on what it is called. On a scale of 1 (unlikely) to 6 (very likely) they indicated a 3.6 level of interest in receiving the vaccine, she reported.

"Marketing it as 'the cervical cancer' vaccine may not be the most effective strategy for this group," she said at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

The men in her group were aged 18–26 years, and 96% of them were heterosexual. Although only 47% had a current partner, 81% indicated that they had had sexual intercourse. The group reported a mean of 4.8 lifetime partners (range 0–34).

"Younger men were more interested, as were gay and bisexual men," Dr. Gerend said, adding that other predictors of interest were having already had sex, having a current partner, and ever being tested for a sexually transmitted infection.

Regarding a potential name for the vaccine, most of the group (76%) said they preferred "Gardasil" or "the HPV vaccine."

In a separate study of 356 heterosexual male college students, Dr. Gerend found that emphasizing the benefits of vaccination for a man's partner versus the personal benefits did not boost interest in vaccination (Sex. Transm. Dis. 2009;36:58-62).

Dr. Gerend did not disclose any conflicts of interest.