P.E.I. weighs cost of HPV vaccine for boys

A Prince Edward Island program that offers free HPV vaccines for girls could be extended to cover boys in a few years.

Currently the program is available only for girls because of the link between HPV, human papillomavirus, and cervical cancer.

But new studies have shown the vaccine can also benefit boys. P.E.I. resident Dottie Daly heard about those studies through her doctor, and plans to get her 11-year-old son vaccinated.

"I did that for my daughter, so I would certainly do it for my son," Daly told CBC News on Thursday.

Dr. Lamont Sweet, the province's deputy chief health officer, said there are several reasons for boys to be vaccinated and he expects the program to be available to them before long.

"At this stage, the major advantage for the boys is the prevention of genital warts," said Sweet. "The second would be not spreading it to girls, and the third, other advantages for preventing other cancers in boys."

But if Daly does get the vaccine for her son anytime soon, she will have to pay for it out of her own pocket, about $125 each for three doses.

Sweet said the first priority is ensuring all girls in the school system who want the vaccine get it because they face the greatest risks.

This year the province spent $700,000 to vaccinate girls in grades 6 and 9. Sweet said he would like to see boys covered by the free program as well, but that may take a while because of the cost.

"I would expect, more like two years it could be considered. Once all the girls are done, which would be two more years [for] grades 6 to 12, then the question will be whether or not to add boys," he said.

In the meantime, he says parents who can afford to get their boys vaccinated should do so.