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The FDA has changed its guidelines on the recipients of the HPV vaccine.
You do not have to be young to get vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV).
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded the age-specific guidelines for vaccination.
People aged 27 to 45 who have never been vaccinated are now entitled to Gardasil 9.
In the United States, rates of HPV vaccines are steadily increasing, but the country is still slow to prevent the spread of this sexually transmitted disease.
About half of the country's teenagers are up to date on the HPV vaccine. This is promising for the future, but the majority of adult women and men are still at risk.
The change in FDA guidelines was motivated in part by the positive impact of the vaccine on associated diseases, including cervical cancer.
Although some experts hope that this extra age will help the United States to eradicate HPV, others are not convinced that this change will make a difference.
Healthline has spoken with Cynthia Leifer, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Cornell University in New York.
She supports the new FDA guidelines but also knows that adults tend not to think about vaccines.
She said that "many adults forget or are unaware that they still need vaccines."
So for this to have an impact, Leifer said, "Primary care physicians need to inform their patients of this new option."
Dr. Ian Frazer, an immunologist and professor known to have co-invented the basic HPV vaccine technology, is not so sure that the introduction of a new age-specific guideline will result in higher rates vaccination.
While admitting that he was not an expert on US policies, he mentioned that his American colleagues said that the success of this strategy depended on the need for "insurance companies to reimburse the cost of the vaccine."
The comparative analysis of coverage and vaccination rates around the world confirms this argument. High-income countries with higher insurance coverage rates see higher vaccination rates
At present, some insurance companies cover the vaccine in some US states and it is up to the patient to find this information. This creates an access barrier.
In cases where insurance coverage is available, it is not immediate.
Patients must pay the up-front costs and wait to be reimbursed, which is another financial barrier that may reduce the risk of getting vaccinated.
"There is always a lag in insurance coverage, so anyone who wants to get the vaccine and who is over 25 must pay to get it," said Dr. Nanette Santoro, Professor and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Colorado. School of Medicine, said Healthline. "However, it is always good to check with his insurance."
She went on to say that the cost is about 300 dollars, but that "it is a good preventive investment in health".
There are more than 100 subtypes of HPV and the virus causes 99% of cervical cancer cases.
If you have not been vaccinated yet, there is a good chance that you have been exposed to the virus.
So what is the point of being vaccinated afterwards?
"Although it is likely that they have already been exposed to HPV, [adults] benefit from being immunized against all carcinogenic subtypes, "said Santoro.
This is not strictly about HPV. It is also about reducing your risk factors for certain cancers.
"The benefit is an immunity against a greater number of HPV types in the short term, and the long-term benefit could be a lower risk of cancers of the mouth and anus as well that a lower risk of cervical cancer, "Santoro said.
So, even if you have been exposed to HPV – and even if you already have cervical cancer – it is helpful to get vaccinated.
Santoro says some of his colleagues in oncology argue that it's never too late to get vaccinated.
"There are even some protocols in which women who already have cervical cancer are getting the vaccine to help slow the progression of their disease," she said.
Experts say that all adults between the ages of 27 and 45 who have never been vaccinated against HPV should do so.
This age group is now eligible for HPV vaccine due to a recent change in FDA guidelines.
However, according to experts, insurance companies must cover the cost of vaccination if the rate of vaccination against HPV can increase in the United States.
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