I see a lot of discussion about this approval, and whether males will also get the vaccine. Bottom line: No. Could this be possible in the future? Anyone’s guess.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the approval of Gardasil, the first vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer, precancerous genital lesions and genital warts due to human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18. The vaccine is approved for use in females 9-26 years of age. Gardasil was evaluated and approved in six months under FDA’s priority review process–a process for products with potential to provide significant health benefits.
(My underlining)The full text of the announcement can be found on the FDA site here. There is also a link to the licensing application, which can get you to the actual label and all the geeky stuff to be found there. (For you biologists out there.)
Interestingly, there are also apparently quite a few young women who are entirely unaware of HPV and the risks associated with it. That disturbs me enough to offer this link:
Get the Facts: HPV (human papillomavirus)
Ladies, this is serious stuff. If you are in the age range in question, talk to your doctors ASAP about getting this vaccine (assuming you aren’t already exposed, and yes, there is a test for women, usually only given to women over thirty though.) Even if you have been exposed, though, the vaccine may help protect you from other forms of HPV. It targets four different forms, and you may have been exposed to only one of them.
Guys, if you know a young woman in the age range, and can talk to her (or her parents as appropriate) about this, let’s get the word out there.
<Minor rant warning>
And another thing, if you suspect you are HPV+, you owe any woman with whom you may be involved a forthright conversation about it. There is currently no generally available test for us to determine HPV status. The only way to know is to ask yourself this: “Have I been intimate with a woman who tested positive for HPV?” If so, you should consider yourself a carrier. If not, but you have had many casual intimate relationships, you should still consider yourself a carrier.
In either of these cases, you should tell every other woman with whom you ever consider becoming intimate that you may be a carrier. If you suspect that you are a carrier, and don’t disclose it, then you are no better than any HIV+ person who doesn’t disclose that status.
An Aging Trans Woman 
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