Joint Call for Gender Equality in HPV Prevention and Treatment: Taiwan Lagging Behind in Vaccination Policy

Taiwan Urged to Promote Gender Equality in HPV Prevention and Treatment

Leading health organizations in Taiwan are urging for equal rights in the prevention and treatment of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) for both men and women. The Taiwan Cancer Foundation, Taiwan Vaccine Promotion Association, and Taiwan Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Association have joined forces to address the gender disparities in HPV vaccination and raise awareness about the risks faced by men.

According to a recent survey conducted among 1,000 parents of primary and secondary school children, more than half of the respondents believed that their daughters should receive the HPV vaccine. However, less than a quarter felt the same for their sons. Medical experts emphasize that men have a higher lifetime risk of HPV infection, which can lead to various types of cancers, including oropharyngeal and laryngeal cancer. They emphasize that it is a global trend to administer HPV vaccines to both men and women, but Taiwan’s universal vaccination policy is falling behind.

Li Bingying, honorary chairman of the Taiwan Vaccine Promotion Association, highlighted that research on HPV has predominantly focused on women. However, the lifetime probability of men being infected with HPV is as high as 91.3%, surpassing the 84.6% among women. HPV can cause a range of cancers and diseases, including oropharyngeal cancer, head and neck cancer, anus cancer, cauliflower, cervical cancer, and vaginal cancer. It is essential to acknowledge that the impact of HPV on men’s health is not any less significant than on women’s health.

Liao Liren, deputy secretary general of the Taiwan Otolaryngology Association of Head and Neck Surgery, shared his personal experience, stating, “I have taken the HPV vaccine because I am also afraid of infection!” He emphasized that head and neck cancer ranks as the third most common cancer among men in Taiwan. Risk factors, such as smoking, betel nut consumption, and alcohol, are associated with HPV infection, leading to oropharyngeal cancer. Liren cautioned that if Taiwan does not take preventive measures, the incidence rate of oropharyngeal cancer could follow the alarming trend observed in the United States.

Despite Taiwan’s comprehensive promotion of HPV vaccination for junior high school girls since 2017, the country’s vaccine policy for men lags behind global standards. Li Bingying emphasized that in economically developed countries worldwide, both men and women receive the HPV vaccine. However, Taiwan, being a high-income country, needs to catch up and align its vaccine policy with international practices.

A recent online survey conducted by the Taiwan Cancer Institute among thousands of parents of primary and secondary school children revealed clear gender differences in their perception of the HPV vaccine. Nearly 50% of parents believed their daughters were at high risk of contracting HPV, while only about 10% expressed the same concern for their sons. The survey showed that 52% of parents believed their daughters needed to be vaccinated against HPV, while a mere 24% believed the same for their sons.

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The Taiwan Cancer Foundation, the Taiwan Vaccine Promotion Association, and the Taiwan Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Association jointly call for equal rights for men and women in the prevention and treatment of HPV. (Photo by Wang Jiayu)

The concept of gender equality prevails, and health awareness is no exception, however, a domestic survey of 1,000 parents of primary and secondary school children found that more than half of the parents believed that their daughters needed to be vaccination against HPV, but less than that. a quarter think their sons need to be vaccinated. Doctors note that men have a higher chance of being infected with HPV during their lifetime than women, which can lead to oropharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer, etc. It is a global trend to give HPV vaccines to men and women, but the country’s universal vaccination policy is lagging behind.

Li Bingying, honorary chairman of the Taiwan Vaccine Promotion Association, said that HPV-related research has long focused on women, but the lifetime probability of men being infected with HPV is as high as 91.3%, which higher than 84.6% of women It can cause a variety of cancers and diseases, including oropharyngeal cancer Head and neck cancer, anus cancer, cauliflower, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, etc. The effect of HPV is not on men’s health less than the effect on women.

“I have taken the HPV vaccine because I am also afraid of infection!” Liao Liren, deputy secretary general of the Taiwan Otolaryngology Association of Head and Neck Surgery, said that head and neck cancer is the third most common cancer among men in Taiwan. cigarettes, betel nut, and alcohol, risk factors include cigarettes, betel nut, and alcohol HPV infection is associated with oropharyngeal cancer. In 2010, the incidence rate of oropharyngeal cancer in the United States exceeded that of cervical cancer.” The United States today, Taiwan tomorrow. “If Taiwan does not take preventive measures, such a trend will also happen in the future.

Taiwan has comprehensively promoted the HPV vaccine policy for junior high school girls since 2017. Li Bingying pointed out that it is a global trend for men and women to receive the HPV vaccine. In countries with relatively good economies in the world , both men and women receive the HPV vaccine. Although Taiwan is also a high-income country, its vaccine policy is somewhat backward.

This year, the Taiwan Cancer Institute conducted an online survey among thousands of parents of primary and secondary school children in the country. The results showed that there are clear gender differences among parents regarding the HPV vaccine. Almost 50% of parents believe that their daughters are at high risk of contracting HPV, and less than 10% of parents believe their daughters are at high risk of contracting HPV The proportion of parents who think their sons are infected by HPV is almost 7 times different; 52% of parents think their daughters need to be vaccinated against HPV, but only 24% of parents think their sons need to be vaccinated against HPV too.

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