"Vaccine Only for Women"?… HPV Prevention Vaccine Also Blocks "Male Cancers"

A claim has emerged that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, long regarded as a "vaccine only for women," should also be administered to men. The explanation is that vaccinating both genders not only increases herd immunity but also addresses the rising cancer incidence caused by HPV in men, thereby increasing the necessity of vaccination for males as well.

Professor Lee Se-young of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Chung-Ang University Hospital is explaining the necessity of HPV vaccination at a press conference commemorating the 9th anniversary of the domestic launch of Gardasil 9, held on the afternoon of the 27th in Jung-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Lee Chun-hee]

On the afternoon of the 27th, Professor Lee Se-young of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Chung-Ang University Hospital emphasized at a press conference commemorating the 9th anniversary of Gardasil 9's domestic launch held in Jung-gu, Seoul, that "HPV vaccination is the most effective method to prevent diseases caused by HPV infection," and stressed, "The incidence of cancer in men is rapidly increasing, so the target group for HPV vaccination should be expanded to include men."

HPV vaccines such as Gardasil are the only existing "cancer prevention" vaccines. Cervical cancer, head and neck cancers, and others occur due to HPV infection. According to the International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS), approximately 5% of cancers worldwide are estimated to be caused by HPV. Since these are virus-induced cancers, vaccinating against the virus beforehand can prevent the cancer itself.

MSD (Merck & Co., USA)'s human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine 'Gardasil 9'
[Photo by MSD Korea]

However, since HPV-related cancers such as cervical and vaginal cancers primarily affect women, both public perception and national support for vaccination have focused solely on females. At the press conference, it was pointed out that beyond the fact that HPV is transmitted through sexual contact making simultaneous vaccination of both genders more effective for prevention, the recent sharp increase in HPV-related head and neck cancers in men necessitates HPV vaccination regardless of gender.

Professor Lee said, "Globally, HPV-related cancers and diseases in men are on the rise, but the disease burden and quality of life reduction in men caused by HPV have been underestimated."

He attributed this to factors such as the difficulty in regular screening or diagnosis of oropharyngeal cancer, a representative male HPV cancer, and the lack of awareness that men can also develop cancer due to HPV.

However, currently, South Korea does not include HPV vaccination for males in its National Immunization Program (NIP). In contrast, among the 38 OECD countries, 33 support HPV vaccination for males, and 28 of these countries administer the 9-valent vaccine. Professor Lee emphasized, “A total of 86 countries worldwide, including OECD nations, provide national support for HPV vaccination for both males and females,” adding, “The impact of proactive HPV prevention on the health of our future generations and national health promotion has been sufficiently confirmed through the examples of other countries.”