"We found no evidence that publicly funded HPV vaccination had any significant effect on clinical indicators of sexual behavior. Neither HPV vaccination nor program eligibility increased risk of pregnancy and non-HPV-related STIs among females aged 14 to 17 years" Smith and colleagues wrote. "These findings suggest that fears of increased risky sexual behavior following the HPV vaccination are unwarranted and should not be a barrier to vaccinating at a young age."

Helio.com, December 12, 2014

In general, HPV vaccination rates in the U.S. are still much too low, hovering around 30 percent. Public health professionals are aiming to increase those rates dramatically, to at least 80 percent - closer to the percentage of people who get vaccinated against the virus in other developed countries.To accomplish that, the health professionals who have dedicated their lives to treating HPV-related cancers want to move the conversation away from sexuality altogether. Instead of framing Gardasil as vaccine that protects against an STD - which might give some Americans the impression that they don't need to worry about it - they want to present it as a vaccine that protects against cancer.

Think Progress, December 11, 2014

The Food and Drug Administration's approval of a nonavalent vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) represents another important step in the eradication of cervical cancer, according to the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO). It is estimated that the seven "high-risk" HPV types found in the nonavalent vaccine can potentially prevent more than 90 percent of cervical cancers and a similarly high number of other HPV-associated cancers of the vulva, vagina, anus, penis, and some head and neck cancers.

Infection Control Today, December 10, 2014

FDA Approves Cervical Cancer Vaccine That Covers More HPV Strains

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a new vaccine with expanded protection against the human papillomavirus (HPV), by far the leading cause of cervical and certain other cancers.The agency said that Gardasil 9 can shield users against nine strains of the virus, compared to the four strains covered by Gardasil, the Merck & Co. vaccine approved in 2006. Merck also makes Gardasil 9.

Medline Plus, December 10, 2014

WHO guidelines look to simplify, shorten HPV vaccine regimen

In its effort to control and prevent cervical cancer, the World Health Organization is updating its screening and vaccination guidelines for doctors and patients around the globe. Under the new guidelines, experts with WHO are recommending the HPV vaccine be shortened from a three-shot schedule to a two-shot schedule.

UPI, December 3, 2014

Many young men who report having sex with other young men have the human papillomavirus (HPV) that can lead to genital warts and anal cancer, according to a new study from Australia.The results, based on men as young as 16, suggest that vaccination could help lower infection rates in this population. The findings also strengthen the U.S. recommendation that all children ages 11 and 12 years old receive the series of shots to prevent HPV, said one expert.

The launch of a temporary free-of-charge human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program in Europe was well accepted and showed an increase in the percentage of those that took action and got the HPV vaccine from 17 percent to a 75 percent. The increase was most notable among descendants and immigrants.

Vaccine News Daily, December 1, 2014

Study finds provider-focused intervention improves HPV vaccination rates

Changing the way doctors practice medicine is difficult, however a new study has shown that combining traditional education with quality improvement and incentives improves Human Papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination rates in boys and girls. The study, which appears on-line in the journal Vaccine, has the potential to produce sustained improvements in these vaccination rates.

Medical Express, November 24, 2014

Book Review: Vaccine Nation: America's Changing Relationship with Immunization

No book on vaccination can ignore the rise of vaccine-safety and anti-vaccination movements. Conis brings out their complexities in the US with great skill. People have refused to have their children vaccinated for disparate reasons. She ties their concerns even-handedly into some of the broader protests and anxieties of the past 40 years.

Times Higher Education, November 27, 2014

The presence of legislation that encourages HPV vaccine uptake does not correlate with increased vaccination among young men or women, according to new research to be presented at APHA's 142nd annual meeting.

Infection Control Today, November 17, 2014

To our knowledge, this is the first study to show a high risk of oral HPV infection among men whose female partners had a genital or oral HPV infection, suggesting that transmission may occur through oral or genital routes. We looked at transmission for 36 individual HPV genotypes, which improved our ability to study risk determinants. Risk was also significantly higher among men who had ever smoked, had a high number of lifetime sex partners, or were in non-monogamous relationships. Our results are largely consistent with previous studies that have found male sex practices and smoking to be the most significant risk factors for oral HPV infection.

Medical Research, November 16, 2014

The newest study shows that cervical cancer rates and HPV vaccination rates tend to move up and down together. Though the authors could not prove causality, their finding suggest that increasing the uptake of the vaccine in a state could have a direct impact on cervical cancer rates and could help even out existing disparities between states.

RH Reality Check, November 14, 2014

The HPV vaccine should be extended to gay men, according to a medical advisory committee.Men who have sex with men should be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) because they are at high risk of contracting the virus, the Joint Commission on Vaccination and Immunisation has said.

The HPV jab was made available to schoolgirls in the UK in 2008, but there have been calls for the programme to be extended.

The Independent, November 13, 2014

Public-health officials are pushing for higher HPV vaccination rates amid growing evidence that cancers linked to the virus are afflicting more men.  (may require subscription)

Wall Street Journal, November 10, 2014

Does enhanced HPV knowledge among teens and parents increase vaccination rates? Penn study says no

A new study from the University of Pennsylvania questions whether improving knowledge among parents and kids actually works to improve vaccination rates. Maybe it's doctors that need a bit more education and training.

A lot of physicians sometimes recommend the other two, and then when it comes to HPV, they're like, 'We'll let's start a conversation about this,'" Fishman said. "They're sort of like: 'This is something we can talk about and explore, and you don't have to get it now.' And it's not clear to the patient or the parent that this is a recommended vaccine just like the other ones." 

One study found that when a doctor is faced with a "vaccine-hesitant" family, sometimes he or she will agree to delay the HPV shots as a "bargaining chip" to get parents to buy-in to the other vaccines first.

News Works, November 6, 2014

The current quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine does not have a significant impact on the recurrence of genital warts in men exposed to HPV infection, according to research published in the November issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

EMPR, November 4, 2014

US News, October 30, 2014

The human papillomavirus (HPV) can be much more than a pain in the butt: The common virus currently causes 5% of the world's cancers. But a vaccine exists, and it's estimated that if males were vaccinated, the rate of anal cancer would fall by 60%. As reported by the website aidsmap, a study of gay men in Ireland has found that half to two-thirds of gay men, whether HIV positive or negative, would benefit from getting HPV vaccines to protect themselves from the two most common cancer-causing strains of the virus.

The Body, October 12, 2014

Few physicians routinely recommend HPV vaccine to boys

Results showed fewer than 15% of respondents reported always recommending the HPV vaccine for male patients. Researchers determined 10.8% of physicians always recommended HPV vaccination for boys aged 11 to 12 years; 12.9% always recommended vaccination for boys aged 13 to 17 years; and 13.2% always recommended vaccinations for those aged 18 to 26 years.

The researchers found that clinicians who self-reported as "early adopters" or innovators were more likely to routinely recommend the vaccine, despite only permissive guidelines from ACIP. Researchers noted that this may be due to a greater level of knowledge about clinical trial results of the HPV vaccine in males, or more positive attitudes toward change or risk.

Physician specialty also appeared to be a factor in recommendation practices, with more pediatricians than family physicians reporting that they recommended the vaccine to males. Physician race as well as payment method of the patient also were found to be associated with vaccine recommendation to patients aged 11 to 12 years. Patient race also was a factor in vaccine recommendations to those aged 13 to 17 years, as well as those aged 18 to 26 years.

Helio, October 13, 2014

What Do Pediatricians Really Talk about When Discussing HPV Vaccination with Parents? 

During her presentation at IDWeek 2014, titled "An Investigation of the Recommendation Styles and Same-Day Vaccination Rates for Pediatricians Discussing HPV Vaccine with Adolescent Patients & Their Caregivers," Liana R. Clark, MD, MS, with Global Health & Medical Affairs, Merck Vaccines, discussed this state of affairs and noted that there are several factors that come into play when clinicians and parents discuss HPV vaccination for children.   She said studies have shown that pediatricians vary their recommendations based on patient age and gender, and report encountering "significant parental barriers to acceptance of their routine HPV vaccine recommendations." However, parents, for their part, report "a very high likelihood of accepting their provider's recommendation for HPV vaccination," said Clark. 

HCP Live, October 10, 2014