Province will administer free HPV vaccines to Grade 6 boys

Nelson and Elliot Roy are ecstatic B.C. will soon provide the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination to Grade 6 boys as part of the province’s publicly funded immunization program.

“We’ve been fighting for it since Grade 6 and to finally see it come to realization is fantastic,” said Elliot, 13, who with his twin brother filed a B.C. Human Rights Tribunal complaint because the vaccination was only available free to Grade 6 girls.

“I’m glad the right decision was made without having to go to a hearing,” Nelson said.

HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, with three out of four sexually active people getting HPV at some point. The Gardasil 9 vaccine protects against nine types of HPV, including two types that cause most cases of genital warts.

Health Minister Terry Lake announced Friday both girls and boys would be targeted “to better promote the broad coverage needed for effective herd immunity.”

The ministry says immunization for boys will begin in September.