Why Routine HPV Vaccines for Gay Men Are Necessary

Recently, there have been major advances in preventing cervical cancer caused by HPV (human papilloma virus) in women. The vaccine that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration is believed to reduce the risk of cancer in women and girls by up to 70%.

However, there are fewer advances, and very little information out there for what HPV is causing in the gay male population. The human papilloma virus that afflicts women in the form of cervical cancer is afflicting gay men in the form of anal cancer.

Most sexually active adults, regardless of gender or orientation usually acquire HPV sometime during their lives - many infections don't turn into cancer or even result in symptoms or health problems, but there is still the chance and risk. The chance of a gay man having anal cancer is thirty-five times higher than any other portion of the population. These rates are actually quite similar to the rates of women who had cervical cancer before routine pap smears.

Unfortunately, HPV (passed on through genital contact) often causes no symptoms - so sexually active men and women contract the advice and spread it further without realizing they have it, therefore infecting many more.

Strangely enough, HPV itself is not the primary problem - it is the diseases it causes. Anal cancer is extremely easy to detect, almost entirely preventable and very curable. The anal pap smear that should be required is almost entire painless and an easy procedure.