Docs push for HPV vax for both genders
Kolkata: Doctors in the city stressed the importance of the HPV (Human papillomavirus) vaccine for both the genders, pointing out that the virus did not discriminate between male and female and hence, it was important to adopt this gender-neutral vaccine to prevent HPV-related cancers.
Though HPV causes cervical cancer in women, it can affect men with cancers of the anus, penis and oropharynx.
India has an indigenously developed quadrivalent HPV vaccine, which covers four types of the virus at a lower cost. Experts, who attended the Conquer HPV & Cancer Conclave in Kolkata on Friday, said as HPV infection peaked between 15 and 25 years, early awareness and timely prevention were needed. Gynaecologists and paediatricians, who advocated for the vaccine to be part of the national immunisation programme, pointed out HPV was transmitted sexually, so the ideal time for vaccination was between 9 and 14 years, before youngsters became sexually active.
The expert panel included gynaecological cancer surgeon Dipanwita Banerjee, paediatricians Pallab Chattopadhyay, Abhijit Sarkar, Jaydeep Choudhury and gynaecologists Basab Mukherjee and Dibyendu Banerjee.
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