Why Is The Hpv Vaccine Gardasil Only Prescribed To Women 26 Years Of Age And Younger?
Because the manufacturer only did clinical trials on girls and women ages 9-26. A drug cannot be approved in groups it hasn’t been tested in. The 26 number is completely arbitrary, it’s probably the age group the manufacturer predicted would want the vaccine. It can be used off-label for women over 26, but often times insurance companies won’t cover the cost of off-label use.
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HPV is transmitted through intimate, skin-to-skin contact. To be fully effective, current research suggests that the vaccine should be given to girls before becoming sexually active. In other words, the ideal time to get the vaccine is during adolescence. Thus, the FDA approved Gardasil for us in females age 9-26.
For women age 30 and older, there is an HPV test. It’s true that HPV infections are common among young women. However, in the under-30 age group, HPV infections usually don’t stay active for very long, since their immune systems are strong. As a result, cervical cancer is relatively rare in young women.
As women grow older, HPV infections become less common, but the occurrence of cervical cancer increases. Thus, HPV infections in older women are of the most concern. That’s why it’s recommended that women 30 and older be routinely tested for infection with high-risk types of HPV.
If you’d like to learn more about the HPV vaccine, visit: http://genitalmagazine.com/men/ " /> You can also read more about the HPV test here: http://genitalmagazine.com/men/ " /> Hope this helps,
Tracey from theHPVtest.com