Imported nine-valent HPV vaccine administered to male recipients in China's Hunan

Doses of imported nine-valent human papillomavirus vaccine were administered to male recipients in central China's Hunan Province on Tuesday.

The National Medical Products Administration has approved the imported nine-valent HPV vaccine for male recipients aged 16 to 26. Male residents of Changsha, the provincial capital, were among the first to be inoculated upon the approval, according to the provincial center for disease prevention and control.

"This expands comprehensive health protection options for eligible male residents," said Chen Xi, a professor at the center. Previously, only the imported quadrivalent HPV vaccine had been available for men in China.

HPV infection has long been associated with cervical cancer in women, but male health risks are equally significant, said Li Dongjie, a urology professor at Central South University's Xiangya Hospital. "Persistent infection of high-risk HPV strains can lead to anal cancer, oropharyngeal cancer and precancerous lesions in male patients."

"Vaccination serves as a primary prevention measure against HPV-related diseases, protecting both men and their partners," Li added.

The latest vaccine approval comes as China accelerates the opening-up of its medical market, with global pharmaceutical companies actively participating in the country's expanding health care sector.