Australian schoolboys have begun receiving the first round of three vaccinations to protect from cancers and disease caused by the human papillomavirus.

Federal Health Minister, Tanya Plibersek, said that over 280,000 boys will be eligible for the free Gardasil vaccine this year, which is estimated to prevent a quarter of new HPV infections. Vaccination will protect boys from cancer and genital warts, and continue to reduce the rates of cervical cancer among women. 

“The HPV vaccine is the best protection against the HPV virus; a virus that infects four out of five sexually active people at some point in their lives and is linked to cancer and other disease,” Ms Plibersek said.

Ms Plibersek said that since the vaccination program started in 2007, there has been a significant reduction in HPV-related infections in young women and a reduced incidence of genital warts in both males and females.

“We’re confident that extending the program to males will reduce HPV-related cancers and disease in the future,” Ms Plibersek said. 
More than 400,000 boys and girls will start to have their first vaccination this month, with follow up doses from April and August.