Two New Westminster middle school boys are once again calling on the provincial government to make the vaccine for the human papillomavirus – commonly known as HPV – available to all genders.
In 2014, twin brothers Nelson and Elliot Roy wrote a letter to the Record, stating how it was unfair that boys weren’t offered the same free protection against the cancer-causing virus as the girls at their school. At the time, they had watched a documentary on the subject and realized HPV could make them sick, too.
“It’s estimated that up to 75 per cent of sexually active Canadians can get HPV, and in males, HPV can lead to 25 to 35 per cent of mouth and throat cancers, up to half of all penial cancers and 80 to 90 per cent of anal cancers, as well as genital warts,” said Julia Hayos with the Canadian Cancer Society, B.C. and Yukon.
So when Grade 6 immunization forms went out, the Roy brothers questioned why they were excluded from getting the vaccine.
“There has been cancer in my family, so that kind of stuck with me. There are lots of different infections and diseases that you can get from this one disease, and I thought, ‘That’s really huge, that should be covered for all of us, shouldn’t it?’” said Elliot, adding the family went on to launch a human rights complaint last year.
The now-Grade 8 student at École Glenbrook Middle School added there’s a misconception that HPV only affects girls.
“The girls and boys in our class were calling it the ‘girl shot.’ They weren’t calling it the HPV vaccine, they were calling it the girl shot, and they still do,” he said.
B.C. has offered a free HPV vaccination program for girls in grades 6 and 9 since 2008 (girls can get the publically-funded shot up to the age of 26). Last year, the Ministry of Health extended the program to include at-risk men, also up until the age of 26. That includes anyone who has sex with men, is questioning their sexual orientation, is ‘street involved,’ is HIV positive, is in the care of the Ministry of Children and Family Development or is in youth custody services. Everyone else must cover the $300 to $450 cost.
“That can be a significant barrier for a number of families in B.C.,” said Hayos. “Everybody should have the opportunity to protect themselves. Six other provinces are moving forward with school-based vaccination programs for all genders. It’s time for B.C. to catch up.”
Kristy Anderson, the ministry’s director of media relations, said the province reviews all potential vaccines “with an eye to making decisions that reflect the most current research and evidence available, including cost-effectiveness and potential benefits.”
“Despite an over $18-billion budget, all decisions in the health care system have to be weighed against other important health care needs. For example, the provision of new and expensive hepatitis C drugs and other lifesaving treatments,” she wrote in an email to the Record.
