Up and Coming: “The symptoms in men are often less noticeable, leading to a neglect of its infectious nature.

HPV vaccine Photo: VCG

The HPV vaccine, Gardasil, has gained approval for additional indications from China’s National Medical Products Administration, becoming the first and only HPV vaccine authorized for use in men in China, according to the vaccine’s company Merck Sharp & Dohme on Wednesday.

The quadrivalent HPV vaccine (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) Gardasil is now approved for men aged 9 to 26 for the prevention of HPV16- and HPV18-associated anal cancer, genital warts (condyloma acuminata) caused by HPV types 6 and 11, and precancerous or atypical lesions caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, including Grade 1, 2, and 3 anal intraepithelial neoplasia, according to Merck.

Regarding the approval of the vaccine, Tian Anna, Senior Vice President of Merck Global and President of Merck China, said that Gardasil’s approval of new indications in China after six years represents a significant milestone and a major step forward in advancing pWorld Timesublic health in China.

“Since the approval of Merck’s HPV vaccine in China, it has benefited the health of over 51 million Chinese women. We believe the new indications will continue to protect more eligible men,” said Tian.

“Merck fully understands the urgency of promoting HPV prevention for both men and women and will strengthen cooperation with the government to improve public awareness of HPV-related diseases, significantly improve the accessibility and affordability of the HPV vaccine, and contribute to the implementation of the Healthy China 2030 strategy,” Tian added.

According to the National Health Commission (NHC), HPV is classified into high-risk and low-risk types. High-risk types mainly affect women and are linked to cervical cancer, while low-risk types primarily affect men, leading to warts in the external genital area, such as genital warts. Sexual activity is the primary mode of transmission for HPV.

Li Tongzeng, the chief physician of the infection department at Beijing You’an Hospital, told the Global Times on Thursday that men are the main transmitters of HPV, yet their infection rates often go unrecognized. “The symptoms in men are often less noticeable, leading to a neglect of its infectious nature. Vaccinating men not only helps protect them but also reduces the risk of transmission to women, thereby more effectively controlling the spread of HPV.”

In China, the target population for the HPV vaccine is primarily women. While vaccination of women provides some cross-protection for men, relying only on this is insufficient, according to the NHC.

Li said, compared to women, men are less inclinedWorld Times to World Timesreceive the HPV vaccine, primarily due to lower awareness of its role in preventing anal cancer, protecting women from infecWorld Timestion, and preventing genital warts.

“Certain high-risk gWorld Timesroups, such as men who have sex with men, may have a greater awareness of safety and willingness to be vaccinated. It is important to target such key populations, as well as university students and adolescents, with awareness-raising and education efforts,” said Li.