FDA expands HPV vaccine age range

The Food and Drug Administration announced has expanded its age limit for the HPV vaccine to include men and women from ages 26 to 45.

The previous HPV vaccine, Gardasil, was only given to males and females ages 9 to 25. But the new Gardasil-9 vaccine can be given to males and females ages 9 to 45.

University of Missouri Health Care physician Mark Hunter said he hopes the vaccine will spread to the older population, but said it could take up to a decade. Hunter said right now only one in four men and boys are receiving the HPV vaccine.

“Their hope is that general practitioners all over the country and all over the world will recognize the value of this vaccine and start giving it to their older patients,” he said.

The Center for Disease Control said about 14 million Americans become infected with HPV ever year.

“We now know that HPV is the primary cause of cervical cancer,” Hunter said.

About 4,000 women die from cervical cancer caused by certain HPV viruses, according to the FDA.

Hunter said the decision to expand the vaccine age limit was meant because to protect the older population.

“In an older person population there is still protection that can occur with vaccination, it may not be as robust as it is when you’re 9,” Hunter said. “It may not be as protective as if you had received it prior to any HPV exposure, but there still is benefit there.”

Despite its increased age limits, Hunter said the vaccine is still more effective in the younger population it was first created to serve.

The FDA said the vaccine’s safety was evaluated in about 13,000 males and females.