Houston government must expand coverage for critical vaccine

HALIFAX – On Monday, the Nova Scotia NDP reiterated their call from the last provincial campaign to make the HPV vaccine free for more Nova Scotians by eliminating age restrictions on free vaccine coverage. Once someone is eligible to receive this preventative care for free, they should always be eligible.

Reports out today that Canada will miss a key goal of vaccinating 90 per cent of 17-year-olds by 2025 to fight against cervical cancer. This leaves women and gender diverse people in Nova Scotia without the care they deserve. Nearly all instances of cervical cancer, across the country, are now caused by HPV, according to the Government of Canada.

“Governments in P.E.I and Newfoundland and Labrador are already providing more of their residents with this free vaccine,” said Official Opposition Leader Claudia Chender. “We continue to see health care concerns– particularly for issues impacting women’s health –pushed aside and ignored. Nova Scotians are worried about their health, and they feel like they’re not getting the same screening and prevention that people in other parts of the country have.”

In addition to less access to the HPV vaccine, Nova Scotia falls behind on screening for cervical and breast cancer, and the mortality rate is higher than the national average. The Houston government should also provide self-screening HPV tests as an alternative to pap tests, which require access to a primary care provider. People in PEI and British Columbia have already had this option for several years.

“The HPV vaccine is a safe, effective way to prevent the pain and suffering of cancer for Nova Scotians. Nova Scotia also needs to expand HPV self-screening options to provide women more ways to catch cancer earlier, ” said NDP Health Critic, Dr. Rod Wilson. “It doesn’t make sense to end vaccine coverage once students graduate or delay providing self-screening when other provinces have already done the same. Expanding vaccine coverage and moving from pap tests to HPV self-testing will save lives and reduce costs for the health care system. Especially for women without a primary care provider, these are common-sense health care solutions.”

The HPV vaccine is highly effective at preventing cancers. However, vaccination rates are dropping, with only 76 per cent of 17-year-olds in the province vaccinated against HPV in 2024. The report released today by the Canadian Cancer Society warns Canada may not reach its goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2040.

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