Adults under 45 can now receive the HPV vaccine

Adults under the age of 45 can now be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which reduces their risk of cancer of the cervix, the mouth and other cancers.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Friday that Gardasil 9, a vaccine that works against nine different types of HPV, is now approved for men and women aged 27 to 45 years. Previously, it was approved only for patients aged 27 to 45 years. ages 9 and 26, and recommended to all children aged 11 or 12.

"Today's approval represents an important opportunity to contribute to the prevention of HPV-related diseases and cancers in a broader age group," said Dr. Peter Marks, Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and FDA Research, in a statement. "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stated that vaccination against HPV before becoming infected with the types of HPV covered by the vaccine could prevent more than 90% of these cancers," including diseases cervix, mouth, penis and colorectal, "Or 31,200 cases each year, more and more developing."

The FDA has chosen to broaden the age range after testing the first iteration of the HPV vaccine, which was approved in 2006, in more than 3,000 women aged 27 to 45 years. After an average of 3.5 years of follow-up, the vaccine has been shown to be 88% effective in preventing persistent infection with HPV, as well as genital warts, pre-cancerous legions and breast cancer. cervix associated with the virus.

The FDA also conducted additional long-term follow-up with participants in this study and conducted a smaller study of men aged 27 to 45 years. She has also tested the safety of Gardasil 9 in approximately 13,000 men and women. These findings support a large body of evidence that the vaccine effectively prevents cancer and infections in people 26 and younger.

HPV, which is spread through sexual intercourse, is extremely prevalent in the United States. More than 40% of adults in 2014 are affected. It causes the vast majority of cases of cervical cancer in the United States, making about 4,000 victims each year, according to the CDC.

With HPV vaccination rates on the rise, CDC data show that cervical cancer rates declined by approximately 1.6% each year between 1999 and 2015. However, at the same time, rates HPV-associated cancers of the mouth, anus and vulva increased slightly. years, perhaps due to changing sexual practices in the United States and lax screening standards.

With the extended approval of Gardasil 9, a whole new demographic group can be vaccinated against these diseases.