Morning Roundup: Gardasil Also Effective in Men

Beth Saunders

HPV vaccine is just as effective in men at preventing genital warts, more children getting health care with CHIP, Spain keeps marriage age at 14 (and what's it like in your state?), and the Vatican is setting up an HIV/AIDS conference.

HPV vaccine is just as effective in men at preventing genital warts, more children getting health care with CHIP, Spain keeps marriage age at 14 (and what’s it like in your state?), and the Vatican is setting up an HIV/AIDS conference.

  • Studies are showing that Gardisil is just as effective in men at preventing genital warts caused by HPV as it is in women. HPV can cause cervical, anal, oral, and throat cancer in those infected. Public health officials believe the best way to cut the incidence of cervical cancer is to immunize both young men and women – and this study may convince parents of both sexes that it’s a good idea.
  • Health and Human Services Secretray Kathleen Sebelius announced that since the passage of reauthorization two years ago, more than 2 million additional children have had access to health care under Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The two programs serve 42 million children who would not otherwise have access to health care. (Remember the fight that the program should not expand?)
  • Despite pressure from the UN, Spain will keep its minimum marriage age at fourteen. To get married at that young age, a child must have the permission of family and a judge. Between 2000-2008, 326 children under the age of fifteen were married in the country. The UN recommended that Spain raise the minimum age to sixteen. In the United States, a girl of 13 and a boy of 14 can be married in New Hampshire with parental consent, and in Mississippi, there is no minimum age with parental consent, and a girl of 15 and a boy of 17 can marry without parental permission. There are all sorts of exceptions – see the complete list for yourself.
  • The Vatican is working to set up a conference on the prevention of HIV and the care of those infected. It is also developing guidelines for Catholic healthcare workers who work with HIV/AIDS patients. The conference and guidelines are a result of the Pope Benedict condom flap from last year.

Feb 4

Feb 3