Vaccinate boys

Re: “It’s the boys’ turn for HPV vaccine,” Karin Klassen, Opinion, May 6.

Karin Klassen’s column was excellent. Prince Edward Island’s recent decision to vaccinate boys against HPV is positive and forward thinking. HPV in males is not as benign as some believe. Unvaccinated men face the possibility of disfiguring, life-threatening cancers.

According to the Journal of Clinical Oncology, if recent incidence trends continue, the annual number of HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers is expected to surpass the annual number of cervical cancers by the year 2020. This will place a huge burden on individuals, their families, and the health-care system.

Linda Hack, Calgary