In an announcement Thursday, Health Minister Fred Horne laid out details on the province expanding the HPV vaccination program to young boys next fall.
The immunization program, started for Alberta girls in 2008, will expand to include Grade 5 boys. A four-year catch-up program will be made available for Grade 9 boys.
The province estimates that about 32,000 Grade 5 and 15,500 Grade 9 boys will receive the vaccination next fall.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common infection that is passed through sexual contact. Alberta Health estimates that over 70% of people will have at least one genital HPV infection in their lifetime.
Certain types of HPV infections can cause cervical cancer in women, and throat and rectal cancer in men – those cancers are the leading cause for nearly all head and neck cancers in Alberta in men under the age of 40.
It’s a move one woman has been pushing for.
“It’s great that it’s now part of the programs in the schools but what needs to happen next is that the public has to be educated as to why the boys are being included,” Susan Shipley-Morgan said in a phone interview from Texas.
Shipley-Morgan’s husband has battled HPV-related cancers.
The vaccine has been at the centre of controversy since it was first introduced in 2008, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Schools still doesn’t offer the vaccine, and officials said that decision was made because they believe it promotes pre-marital sex.
“It’s not your everyday polio, tetanus,” Board Chair Sandra Bannard said. “It has behaviours with it that needs other thought and reflection upon.”
Another area school division, Elk Island Catholic, has not offered the vaccine in the past – however, CTV News has learned the board voted in favour of offering the shot.
Health officials stressed the importance of being vaccinated before becoming sexually active.
“There are strong medical reasons for picking that age group,” Dr. James Talbot with Alberta Health Services said. “They are basically related to making sure the vaccine is there and the body has protection.”
Alberta will become only the second province in Canada to initiate an HPV program for boys - Prince Edward Island was the first to implement the practice for male students in April.
Officials said the Alberta program would cost about $8 million, in addition to other costs for administering the vaccine - those numbers were not available Thursday.
With files from Veronica Jubinville
