9-Year-Old Boys Can Prevent from HPV, Too, Says FDA

For the 100th year of International Women's Day...I bring you (and not a month too late) exciting news! Merk proves that a vaccine for a disease for which men cannot be tested carries usefulness in prevention of said disease. From your first nipple hair and textbook-hidden-erection, you can take a shot to protect from a whopping 4% of HPV strains. But wait, if you turn a vaccine-less 27 and you're sick of using condoms with your longtime girlfriend, Gardasil isn't proven to protect that 4%.

Seems I'm rubbing Gardasil a bit hard, here. Its development and production is, well, extremely productive in long-term prevention of cervical cancers and warts in women. Gardasil--for women or for men--is a stepping stone to even more widespread improvements in the drastically high statistics on HPV. Gardasil for men, no matter how limiting, is a significant vaccine to come into play whilst 20 million Americans and counting add HPV to their medical history.

Adding Male Studies to your Women and Gender Studies minor acts similar to taking a vaccine for a virus you cannot be physically proven to have. While gender equality makes sense on many (most!) levels, these academic and medical developments simply will be lost on the male population they seek to attract. While women spread for paps, the majority of men know vague--if any--facts about HPV. Meanwhile, half the male population acts as carriers. Scary, but, how scary can it be if it doesn't cause you any symptoms?

As a friend to many HPV survivors, I have just a few words of advice. Boys: use condoms, and donate all your cash to the FDA for testing research. Girls, take your folic acid and get your pap smears on the regular.