To begin my research of the vaccine, I began to explore its history. I wanted to understand when it was developed and who it was made for. This prompted me to put together the history and create a graphic.
In sum, the vaccine was developed in response to an alarming amount of cancers of the uro-genital region, particularly cervical cancers and cervical dysplasia. These cancers were linked to HPV infections. Merck and Co produced the first preventative HPV vaccine, Gardasil, in 2006. Extensive research was conducted to assess the efficacy of this vaccination and its safety in women. There was little support for vaccination in men, and until 2014 it was not recommended (1).
As shown by my research, there was an early prioritization of the vaccine towards women in both research and administration of the vaccine. This is probably why the vaccine was not offered to my brother.
Reference for the blog information and graphic:
1. Pinkbook | HPV | Epidemiology of vaccine preventable diseases | CDC. (2019, September 25). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/hpv.html