Lawmakers, health experts push HPV shots for boys
Lawmakers and health experts in the Philippines are advocating for gender-neutral HPV vaccination to include boys, aiming to reduce cancer transmission rates. Despite a 'Good' rating in a regional policy atlas, the country struggles with low vaccination and screening uptake.
Why it matters
Expanding HPV vaccination to boys is a critical public health strategy for eliminating virus-related cancers and improving overall population health outcomes.
FEMALE lawmakers and health experts on Tuesday pushed for HPV vaccination of boys and better use of Gender and Development (GAD) funds for cervical cancer prevention as the Philippines continues to lag behind several Southeast Asian neighbors.The calls were made during the launch of the HPV Prevention Policy Atlas Asia-Pacific 2026 at the House of Representatives, which brought together lawmakers, health advocates, civil society groups and cervical cancer survivors to examine gaps in the country's HPV prevention policies and their implementation.The Philippines received an overall score of 71.6 percent, rated "Good," in the Atlas, but it continued to trail several Southeast Asian neighbors in the assessment of national HPV prevention policies.The findings also showed a gap between policy and actual uptake, with HPV vaccination coverage among females remaining below 30 percent and participation in cervical cancer screening below 15 percent.Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that can cause cervical…
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