Vaccinating Men With Gardasil Not Cost Effective, Study Finds

Main Category: Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Also Included In: Men's health
Article Date: 12 Oct 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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Vaccinating boys and men with Merck's Gardasil to protect against genital warts does not appear to be cost effective if all girls and women receive the vaccine to prevent genital warts and human papillomavirus, according to a study in the British Medical Journal, Reuters reports (Steenhuysen, Reuters, 10/8).

Gardasil currently is approved for use in women as a way to protect against two strains of HPV that cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases and 90% of genital warts (Women's Health Policy Report, 9/9). The drugmaker has applied for FDA approval to market Gardasil for use in boys and men ages nine to 26 to prevent genital warts. According to the new study, vaccinating girls and women is cost effective, but the benefits of vaccination did not outweigh the costs when men were added to the equation.

Study author Jane Kim of the Harvard School of Public Health and colleague Sue Goldie analyzed data from clinical trials and population studies to develop models simulating how the benefits and costs of Gardasil in men compare over time. The analysis examined the benefits of preventing cervical cancers, genital warts and a rare respiratory condition called recurrent respiratory papillomatosis that pregnant women with genital warts can pass to their infants.

Kim said that vaccinating men with Gardasil "might be beneficial" but that "for the resources expended, there may be better uses and other health interventions that would increase health gains in the population." She noted that Gardasil has shown a high degree of protection in men in clinical trials (Reuters, 10/8). Last month, an FDA advisory panel recommended that the agency expand approval of Gardasil for use in boys and men ages nine to 26. Though FDA is not obligated to follow the panel's guidance, it typically does (Women's Health Policy Report, 9/9).

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