TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Lawmakers from across the aisle, the Taiwan Young Patient Association (TYPA) and the Formosa Cancer Foundation jointly held a press conference Monday (March 4) calling for equality in cancer prevention policy, recommending junior high school boys be included in the public HPV vaccination program.
Data reveals that incidences of oral HPV infections in men are 1.3 times higher than in women, and head and neck cancer cases are nine times more prevalent in males.
Taipei City has already allocated a budget this year for HPV vaccinations for junior high boys. Lin Che-chou, one of the heads of the Junior-High Union of Parents Association in Taipei City, urged the central government to extend the subsidy, ensuring equal opportunities in cancer prevention measures for all students.
Liu Huan-jui, deputy chair of the TYPA noted that in 2022, there were 834,000 cancer patients with a National Health Insurance expenditure amounting to NT＄133.4 billion. Liu suggested revenue from increased tobacco health surcharge could be used to fund HPV vaccinations, which could ease the burden of cancer prevention and reduce HPV-related cancer incidences.
Kuomintang Legislator Yang Chiung-ying mentioned the nation's declining birth rate, believing in providing the best vaccine for children to lower cancer risks. She cited the 2022 recommendation from the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for HPV vaccinations for all Taiwanese aged 9 to 18.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Liu Chien-kuo stressed gender equality in cancer prevention policy, indicating this isn't a budget issue but a matter of action. Fellow party member Su Chiao-hui supported unified nationwide implementation without gender or regional disparities.
Tsai Li-chuan, deputy executive director of the Formosa Cancer Foundation, stated that everyone has an 80% likelihood of contracting HPV, with men having a lower immunity to the virus, thus underlining the need for nationwide HPV vaccinations for everyone.