Society of Ob-Gyns Wants Boys Vaccinated for HPV

Canada's Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists has set the cat among the fundamentalist pigeons this time.   They want all Canadian provinces to follow Prince Edward Island's lead and make HPV vaccination available to boys as well as girls.

HPV, or human papillomavirus, is generally considered a disease transmitted unknowingly by infected males to females.  There's a mistaken belief that males are unaffected by HPV and that the virus only plagues females.   Not so.  HPV can cause a variety of cancers in males also.

Because HPV is sexually transmitted it gets plenty of straight-laced parents' knickers in a bunch when talk comes around to vaccinating their virginal daughters who would never do that sort of thing, sex, by which they could become exposed.  No, of course not, what were we thinking?  It doesn't help that to be fully protected, the vaccine needs to be given during adolescence.  And there's also the reflexive resistance from the anti-flouride/anti-vaccine home schoolers.

So, good luck with that Ob-Gyns of Canada.  We salute you.