You Can Now Get the HPV Vaccine Before the Age of 45
The HPV vaccine, which prevents many forms of cervical cancer, has long been available for children under the age of 26 . The FDA recently approved a vaccine for men and women under the age of 45 .
The approved version of the vaccine is Gardasil 9, which protects against nine types of human papillomavirus. There are hundreds of types of human papillomavirus , but these nine are considered “high risk” types because they increase the risk of cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers, including cancers of the vagina, vulva, and anal canal. The vaccine can also prevent some genital warts.
Most sexually active adults have been exposed to one or more types of human papillomavirus, and this is usually not a problem. But sometimes our immune system fails to kill it, and the virus can cause cells to mutate and turn cancerous. The whole point of a Pap smear or other types of cervical cancer screening is to look for signs that the process has already begun .
But the vaccine works so well and there are so many strains of HPV that experts say it is a useful vaccine that can be obtained at any age. And with recent FDA approval, Merck (which makes Gardasil 9) can advertise the vaccine as intended for people under the age of 45.
So can I take a picture now?
Technically, your doctor could always prescribe the vaccine off-label, but there were two reasons why it was difficult to coax them. First, if you are over 26 years old, chances are you have already been exposed to one or more forms of human papillomavirus, and the vaccine against them will not help. Second, because the shot was approved and recommended for young adults only, insurance companies usually did not cover it. A full course of vaccine — three shots for us old people, several months apart — can cost about $ 400 out of pocket.
FDA approval is the first step towards getting it covered, but we haven’t gotten there yet. The Affordable Care Act requires insurance plans to cover all vaccines recommended by the CDC ‘s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices . If this group decides to recommend an HPV vaccine for older age groups, then you can be sure it will be covered. Until then, it depends on your insurance company.