HPV vaccine needs to be publicly funded for boys

The Canadian Cancer Society says it’s not right that men have to rely on women getting vaccinated for HPV for their own protection against cancer.

Society spokesperson Jenny Byford says in BC, the HPV vaccine is publicly-funded and available in schools for girls in grade 6, but boys do not qualify for the same vaccination coverage.

Byford says on Vancouver Island, just over 54% of girls are being vaccinated against HPV.

She notes that men are 2 to 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with an HPV oral cancer than women.