cervical cancer

[matagi]

Boys can't get cervical cancer, so the immediate cost benefit is not there, even though males can be asymptomatic carriers of HPV. I believe there are trials currently underway assessing the vaccine in boys, because males can get anal cancers from HPV. FWIW, the guy that developed the vaccine has had both his sons vaccinated against HPV. In Australia the vaccine has been made available to females aged 12-26 free of charge. Boys can also receive the vaccine but you need to pay for it.

I guess it is analogous to rubella vaccine - in Australia, girls were the first to be vaccinated because of the consequences of rubella in pregnant women. The vaccine has subsequently been made available to everyone and is now part of our routine childhood immunisation program, which means both boys and girls receive the vaccine.

What is the situation in the US if this vaccine becomes mandatory? Are you expected to pay for it, or do you get it free of charge?