Guys Should Get the HPV Vaccine Too

Dr. Larry Goldenberg, Founder of CMHF

The Canadian Men’s Health Foundation’s (CMHF) mission is to inspire men and their families to live healthier lives. We are supporting the Canadian Cancer Society’s #HPVvaccine campaign to build awareness of the link between HPV and cancer.

Sexually transmitted diseases are not just a young person’s problem, if you are sexually active, you can get the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in Canada. It is estimated that 75% of sexually active Canadians will get at least one HPV infection in their lifetime.

Boys and men can get HPV just the same way women do, through intimate genital skin-to-skin contact – usually through sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal) and it can be passed on to their partners.

Adults should get the shot too, even though the HPV vaccine works best when you are young (9 -15 years old).

According to a study published in The Lancet, HPV is thought to cause about 95% of anal cancers, 75% of mouth and throat cancers, 75% of vaginal cancers, 70% of vulvar cancers, and 60% of penile cancers.

The HPV vaccine is not about promoting teens to have sex earlier, it’s about cancer prevention.

All provinces and territories in Canada offer the HPV vaccine to girls, starting between Grades 4 and 7. The vaccine is also currently available to boys in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and Alberta.

Guys should talk to to their health care provider about where to get their sons, daughters and themselves vaccinated.