Could the human papillomavirus vaccination be cost-effective in males for the prevention of oropharyngeal cancer?

Abstract

Could the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination be cost-effective in males for the prevention of oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer (OPC)? It could be under certain conditions. Research on HPV vaccine has focused mainly on females. However, within the next decade, it is predicted that OPC will surpass cervical cancer as the most common HPV-related cancer, and it is postulated that HPV vaccination may alter the incidence of OPC. The purpose of this editorial is to comment on the potential cost-effectiveness of HPV vaccination in males for OPC prevention by addressing three elements payers often consider when making a decision to fund an intervention and to provide an overview of recent findings regarding the cost-effectiveness of HPV vaccine in males.

Keywords: cost–effectiveness analysis; economic evaluation; human papillomavirus; oropharyngeal cancer; vaccine.