A SOUTH Douglas MHK will ask the Island's Health Minister about plans to introduce a HPV vaccination for boys.

Kate Beecroft will raise the matter in the House of Keys sitting on Tuesday, February 7.

Mrs Beecroft will ask David Anderson MHK about the Gardisil vaccine which can protect both boys and girls from the human papilloma virus (HPV).

She wants to know when the vaccine will be available in the Island and what plans the Minister had to make the vaccine available to "teenage boys".

According to the Gardisil website (gardasil.com) the vaccination can help to protect against 90 per cent of genital warts cases in males aged between nine and 26.

The website also states that the vaccination can help protect against 75 per cent of cervical cancer cases, 70 per cent of vaginal cancer cases and up to 50 per cent of vulvar cancer cases in females aged between nine and 26. 

In 2010 the Department of Health began to offer the Cervarix vaccination to girls aged 12 and 13. The vaccine offers protection against two of the most common strains of the virus responsible for cervical cancer.

Mrs Beecroft will ask the Health Minister what the take up rate is, as a percentage, of this vaccination.

There are nine questions for oral answer and 12 for written answer in next week’s House of Keys. Mrs Beecroft will ask seven of them.

What do you think? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below: