In Brazil, boys will also receive HPV vaccine

From January 2017, the public health system will give the HPV vaccine for 12- to 13- year old boys as part of the National Vaccination Calendar.

According to the Ministry of Health, the age group will be gradually expanded until 2020, when 9- to 13-year old boys will be included.

The expectation is to immunize over 3.6 million children in 2017, in addition to 99,500 children and young people aged 9 to 26, living with HIV/ AIDS in Brazil.

According to the federal government, Brazil will be the first Latin American country and the seventh in the world to give boys the HPV vaccine in the national immunization programs, following the example of the United States, Australia, Austria, Israel, Puerto Rico and Panama.

The HPV vaccination for boys will have two doses with a six-month interval between them. For those who have HIV, the HPV vaccination will have three doses with two- and six- month interval, respectively.

Partnership

The coordinator of the National Immunization Program, Carla Domingues, pointed out that the Ministry intends to invest in partnerships with public and private schools to provide boys' and girls' access to the HPV doses.

"To give vaccine to adolescents is not the same as giving vaccine to children, who are taken in hand by their parents and brought to the health center. It's more complicated," she said. "With teenagers, we cannot achieve full vaccination coverage as with children," he added.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta