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Expanding human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programs to include males in Canada will help protect them against HPV-related cancers. Authors of a new Canadian analysis explain that it’s important for policy-makers to recognize that HPV can cause cancer in males as well as females, but current vaccination programs in Canada don’t address these risks.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in Canada and is linked to cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, penis and anus, in addition to causing cervical cancer and anogenital warts. Men who have sex with men are at high risk of HPV-related diseases. Currently, only three provinces – Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island – include boys in their school-based vaccination programs. However, Manitoba and Quebec have pledged to begin including boys in their programs by the fall of 2016.
Authors:
Gilla K. Shapiro, Samara Perez, and Zeev Rosberger
Corresponding author:
Gilla Shapiro, Department of Psychology, McGill University; contact via Cynthia Lee, Senior Communications Officer, McGill University, Quebec
Original paper, published on April 25, 2016 in CMAJ.
