Gardasil for Boys: Were Girls Mere "Guinea Pigs"?

Here's what we're checking out today:

STDs: Writing in BNET's Placebo Effects blog, Jim Edwards writes about the political, moral and health issues surrounding the HPV-preventing Gardasil vaccine for boys. They're more complicated – and expensive – than you'd think, and Edwards wonders whether the current debate reflects sexism in medicine.

Health Insurance: A day before the midterm elections, Sarah Varney reports for NPR on why insurance commissioners, whether elected or appointed, are so little-known yet so important in Americans' health care.

Health Reform: Kaiser Health News rounds up the predictions about what a Republican takeover of the House could mean for health reform.

Medicaid: Riverside County's (Calif.) dismal record on processing Medi-Cal claims imperils residents' health, reports John Gonzales of our sister program California HealthCare Foundation Center for Health Reporting.