East Asian first: Junior-high boys get access to free HPV vaccinations

Taipei, Aug. 12 (CNA) Junior high school boys in Taiwan will be eligible for free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations starting in September, extending the program that currently exists for girls and making it the first country in East Asia to offer boys the full two-dose series.

The Health Promotion Administration (HPA) has offered publicly funded HPV vaccinations to all junior high school girls in Taiwan since 2018, HPA Director-General Shen Ching-fen (沈靜芬) said at a news conference in Taipei on Tuesday.

"Starting this September, we will also provide HPV vaccinations to junior high school boys, bringing the total number of beneficiaries [in 2025] to over 200,000," said Shen, who took office on Aug. 1, succeeding Wu Chao-chun (吳昭軍).]

Lin Li-ju (林莉茹), head of HPA's Cancer Prevention and Control Division, told CNA that Taiwan is the first country in East Asia to offer boys the full two-dose HPV vaccination series free of charge, as countries like South Korea and Japan have yet to provide it for boys.

The program's extension should benefit 110,000 boys by the end of 2025, Lin said.

For those paying out of pocket, each dose of the HPV vaccine costs at least NT$6,000 (US$200.30), and individuals aged 9-14 need two doses to complete the full series.

Whether male or female, anyone can contract HPV, and studies show that each person has about a 50 percent to 90 percent chance of being infected in their lifetime, she said.

"About 90 percent of those infected will naturally clear the virus within a year through their immune system, but nearly 10 percent may develop what is known as a persistent infection," Lin said, noting that HPV is a DNA virus with more than 200 types.

Persistent infection with certain high-risk types of HPV can lead to cervical cancer in women, as well as anal, head and neck and genital cancers in both men and women, while some low-risk types can cause genital warts, according to Lin.

"Studies have shown that vaccination can prevent at least 70 percent of HPV infections," Lin said, adding that full vaccination currently provides protection for at least 10 years.

In terms of coverage, Lin said vaccination rates among female students entering junior high school have been increasing since the program's launch in 2018, rising from 75.2 percent in its first year to over 90 percent from 2022 onward.

One reason the HPA has achieved a high coverage rate is by administering publicly funded HPV vaccinations directly in schools, saving time and increasing convenience for students and parents, Lin said.