Ontario to allow gay men to receive free HPV vaccination

Expanding Ontario'shuman papillomavirus vaccine to gay, bisexual, and transgender men is a huge step forward according to oneSudbury public health nurse.

Morning North5:13Free HPV vaccine for gay, bisexual and transgender men in Ontario

Gay, bisexual and transgender men will soon be the first adult group in Ontario to receive a free HPV vaccination for free. We spoke with Justeen Mansourian-Christakos, an infectious disease nurse, about why the province is targeting this group of people.

The shot, that normally costs $450 without insurance, will be made available to LGBT men 26yearsold and younger.

Justeen Mansourian-Christakos, a communicable diseases nurse at the Sudbury and District Health Unit, said until recently, only teen girls could receive the vaccine for free through the province's immunization program.

But that meant the onus was on women to be protected against the sexually transmitted infection. It also meant thatmen were not protected at all.

Listen to Morning North hostMarkusSchwabediscuss free HPV vaccine for gay, bisexual and transgender men in Ontario

"We're notstigmatizingyoung women anymore,"Mansourian-Christakossaid. "We're not going to negate the importance of men's health and discriminate against men who have sex with men."

Gay and bisexual menthree times more likely to get HPV

Gay,bisexual, and transgendermen are three times more likely to get HPV compared to heterosexual men,Mansourian-Christakossaid.

"We know without immunizing, threeout of every foursexually active gay, bisexual, or MSM [men who have sex with men] individuals will get HPV in their lifetime," Mansourian-Christakos said.

That means their risk of cancers associated with the sexually transmitted infection also increases.

Mansourian-Christakossaid she hopes healthcare providers let all men know about the vaccine, since someone's sexual identity isn't always obvious, and somewill not becomfortable disclosing it.

Recently the province announcedthis fallteen boys will receive the free vaccine, too.

"This is a step forward in that gap with STI prevention and looking at the program through a health equity lens," she said.

The HPV vaccine is currently available to those aged 26 or younger.