In November last year, I posted about “cervical cancer” vaccine Gardasil® and the benefits of immunisation for boys .

Back then, it wasn’t Government funded so cost around $150 per shot for a course of two or three injections. The great news is that, last week, Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek announced that, in a world first, Australian schoolboys will be able to get the vaccine, which will protect them against developing a range of cancers and bolster the effectiveness of this vaccine in women.

Starting next school year, the Government will fund the vaccine for 12 and 13-year-old boys through school-based programs under the National Immunisation Program. Year 9 boys will also be able to get the vaccine at school under a catch-up program for the next two years.

“Already the HPV vaccine has had an impact – significantly reducing the number of lesions that lead to cervical cancer amongst women in the vaccinated age group. It is estimated that a quarter of new infections will be avoided by extending the vaccine to boys,” said Ms Plibersek.

Read on for a refresher on Gardasill® and why this announcement is great news for our boys.

What is the cervical cancer vaccine, what does it do?

The “cervical cancer” vaccine is actually a vaccine against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a very common virus with many subtypes spread by skin-to-skin contact between humans.

Gardasil is the vaccine currently government-funded for school aged girls. It protects against four specific high-risk types of HPV, two of which cause around 70% of cervical cancers between them and the other two around 90% of genital warts.

If the full course of vaccinations is delivered to a girl who’s never had sex she can be protected against 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts- an amazing benefit!

Naturally, as responsible parents we all want to know about the side effects… as always there are the generic warnings about allergies to any of the vaccine components but the most likely side effects are: pain, redness or swelling at the injection site, headache, fever or dizziness.

For a full run-down on the vaccine you can access the Consumer Medical Information.

Why would I want to give it to my son? Isn’t it just for women?

Well no, it’s not just for women. The vaccine confers resistance to its four HPV types regardless of gender.

As mentioned earlier it can provide protection against 90% of genital warts, which is a super benefit by itself (penile warts are NOT a good look!) Additionally, it can provide protection against a range of other cancers caused by these high-risk HPV types like anal, penile and throat cancers.

Another important consideration in a population-based vaccination program is herd immunity: the disease-reducing effect which comes from having the majority of individuals in your “herd” immunised. Basically, if most of the individuals in your population are immune then there will be very few left to carry the infection and pass it on to others. That effect is enhanced by vaccinating everyone rather than just half of the community.

Is it effective?

The current vaccination program has only been running in schools since 2006 but already there is compelling evidence regarding its effectiveness.

Genital wart cases have dropped 60% for women in the vaccinated age range, and nearly 30% in heterosexual men as well thanks to herd immunity. During the same period there was no reduction amongst men who have sex with men (MSM’s).

We’ve also seen a 50% drop in high-grade cervical abnormalities for young vaccinated women, as reported recently by the ABC. Based on this evidence we expect to see far less cervical cancer over the next few decades also.

How and when should I get my son vaccinated?

Ideally your son should be vaccinated from age nine and before commencing sexual activity to protect against potential exposures to sexually transmitted HPV. But even after having a few sexual partners he probably won’t have been exposed to all the HPV types in the vaccine and therefore may still gain great benefit from it.

Disclaimer: All medical information provided is intended for general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment provided to individuals by their doctor. References for all information can be provided on request.