Call for expansion of HPV vaccine program

The Canadian Cancer Society, along with 25 leading health organizations including Doctors of BC, is calling on the provincial government to expand its human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program to protect not only young women aged 9 to 26, but young men as well. 

While originally developed to fight cervical cancer, the HPV vaccine has since been a proven and effective way to prevent many different types of cancers for both young men and women.  Currently in BC the vaccine is publicly funded for girls through a school-based program that was expanded to at-risk boys – those deemed at an increased risk of contracting the disease – in July of 2015. All boys and young men who fall outside of the government’s defined high-risk category must pay for the vaccine themselves which runs between $300 and $450 – a cost that will likely prevent a significant number of boys and young men from seeking the vaccination leaving them vulnerable to the disease. 

With six Canadian provinces moving forward with gender-neutral school-based vaccination programs, Julia Hayos, Special Projects Lead, Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon says “it’s time for BC to catch up and continue to be a leader in the field of cancer prevention.” 

In early June the Canadian Cancer Society submitted a letter to BC Minister of Health Terry Lake requesting BC’s HPV vaccination program be expanded to include all genders. Doctors of BC fully supports this move and signed the letter which can be read in full here.

For more information about the HPV vaccine, visit cancer.ca/bc/HPVvaccine

Media stories on this topic:
CTV News – HPV vaccine linked to falling infection rates worldwide
Global News – 13-year-old boy pushes B.C. government to expand HPV vaccine program
Vancouver Sun – Opinion: Expanded access to HPV vaccine in B.C. 'makes sense'