Province to begin immunizing boys against HPV

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Manitoba announced Wednesday it will expand its vaccine program against the virus linked to women’s cervical cancer to boys.

Starting next September, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine will be available free to boys in Grade 6 in schools across the province. The province started immunizing girls in Grade 6 seven years ago.

Boys in Grade 9 will also be offered the vaccine free-of-charge for the next three years in schools, the province said.

The HPV virus is also linked to other forms of cancer in both sexes.

Manitoba started immunizing girls in Grade 6 in 2008. Any girl who missed the shot then can still get immunized free of charge, and the same will apply to boys.

“Offering the HPV vaccine to males is a step in the right direction, to reduce transmission and protect Manitobans from HPV-related cancers, regardless of gender,” Health Minister Sharon Blady said in the announcement.

The human papillomavirs can cause abnormal cell changes that lead to cervical cancer and to cancer of the vagina, vulva, penis, anus, mouth and throat.

“The message for Manitobans is HPV is a risk factor for these cancers. I think that is something that not particularly well known, especially for head and neck cancers,” said Dr. Michael Routledge, the province’s chief public health officer.

“These are cancers that affect boys as well as girls and it goes beyond cancer. For example, genital warts is something people commonly have and this vaccine protects against those, as well,” Routledge said.

The head of the province’s cancer program also said expanding coverage makes sense.

“Although the vast majority of people who have had HPV never develop cancer, many cancers caused by HPV could be prevented by the HPV vaccine,” Dr. Sri Navaratnam, president and CEO of CancerCare Manitoba, said in a release.

“Vaccinating boys will help prevent transmission of the virus,” Navaratnam added.

As with all provincial vaccine programs, the HPV immunization will be voluntary and parents will be asked for their consent.

Manitoba joins Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Alberta in introducing the vaccine to both boys and girls.

The change in policy reflects an evolving body of knowledge around HPV.

“It’s not a brand new discovery. We’ve known about it for a while but it’s developing, in terms of our understanding of these types of cancers and the viral roles in them,” Routledge said.

“The expanded HPV immunization program will be part of the province’s new immunization schedule changes starting this year with a two-dose HPV vaccine for Grade 6 female students,” the minister said in the release.

The province expects to have enough vaccine on hand for approximately 8,000 boys born after 2005. That’s on top of the doses it currently stocks for about 8,000 girls of the same age.

People seeking information about the HPV vaccine can call Health Links–Info Santé at 204-788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257. More information is also on the Manitoba Health, Healthy Living and Seniors website.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca