The provincial government is expanding free access to the HPV vaccine and immunization schedule hoping that more residents of B.C. will have the opportunity to protect themselves against HPV-related cancers.
Doses for those aged nine to 20 will shift from two doses to one. People aged 21 and older are eligible for a two-dose series with six months in between doses, and for those immunocompromised, a three-dose series will continue, according to a July 31 news release from the B.C. Ministry of Health.
Additional changes include accessibility to people aged 19 to 26, plus people aged 27 to 45 who live with HIV and are apart of the 2LSGBTQIA+ communities.
If people have undergone post-colposcopy treatments on or after July 31, 2025, you are also eligible to get the vaccine at any age, the release says.
HPV vaccine will continue to be accessible to some community pharmacies, as well as in schools starting in grade six.
People will also be able to access the vaccine from some pharmacies, sexually transmitted infection clinics, public-health units, primary-care providers or a community nurse. For those living in First Nations communities, people will have access through your local community health centre or nursing station.
This move is part of the province's ongoing 10-year Cancer Action Plan initiative that the province says will better prevent, detect and treat cancers for people in B.C.
