Physicians > Programs & Resources > Immunization

For Pediatricians with Suggestions for Primary Care Providers

The BC Pediatric Society, with the support of funding from the BC Centre for Disease Control and various unrestricted educational grants, has produced a number of resources that we hope you will find helpful. Some of these resources are aimed at physicians and others at families.

The decision about vaccinating children is made by parents and caregivers. To do this, parents need comprehensive information about all vaccines.

When considering vaccines for their children, families trust their physicians’ recommendation and the information he or she can provide. As a physician, you have a vital role to play in ensuring patients make informed decisions about their health and well-being.


Please find linked here two immunization schedules that list publicly funded and recommended vaccines that are not publicly funded – we think you will find them useful in discussing needs with your patients.

  BC Pediatric Society – Immunization Schedule 2022

  BC Pediatric Society – Immunization Schedule for Children with High Risk Conditions 2022

Publicly Funded Vaccines

HPV

This school year we’re featuring the HPV9 vaccine. HPV9 vaccine will be provided free to girls and boys in Grade 6.

The HPV9 vaccine is also provided free to:

  • Grade 6 students – routine immunization program
  • HIV positive individuals 9-26 years of age
  • Transgender individuals 9-26 years of age
  • Men 9 to 26 years of age who:
    • Have sex with other men
    • Are not yet sexually active but are questioning their sexual orientation
    • Street involved
  • Boys 9 to 18 years of age in the care of the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD)
  • Boys and men of any age who are in youth custody services centres
HPV vaccine resources:

 

Non-Publicly Funded Vaccines

In addition to encouraging the 5 regular vaccines for children, situation arise where it is worthwhile for BC physicians and parents to review vaccines also available at cost. Each non-publicly funded vaccine is considered for a different reason:

  • Hepatitis A: Hepatitis disease is an inflammation of the liver that can be serious and life-threatening. The vaccine is free for Aboriginal infants and children 6 months to 18 years in BC. The vaccine is also recommended, but not provided free, for the children at high risk of hepatitis A infection.

 

  • Human Papillomavirus: The most common types of HPV related cancers in males and females are mouth and throat (oropharyngeal) and anal cancer. In women HPV causes virtually all cervical cancers. HPV also causes 90% of genital warts in males and females. HPV9 is part of the publicly funded grade 6 school immunization program in BC. The HPV9 vaccine publicly funded for those who do not commence a series in grade 6; they are eligible to initiate a series prior to age 19 (for males born in 2006 or later) but not thereafter. A series commenced prior to age 19 may be completed with publicly funded HPV vaccine prior to the 26th birthday. The HPV9 vaccine is also publicly funded for individuals 9 to 26 years of age who are: HIV positive;transgender; males who have sex with males, including those who may not yet be sexually active and are questioning their sexual orientation and males who are street involved, in youth custody or in care of Child and Family Services.

 

  • Meningococcal Disease: There are 5 types (A, B, C, Y and W-135) of meningococcal that can cause invasive meningococcal disease and result in meningitis and speticemia. Currently only vaccines for Meningococcal type C (infants since 2003) and Meningococcal types ACWY (grade 9 as of September 2016) are provided free. Non-publicly funded vaccines are available to protect against Meningococcal B for private purchase.

 

  • Influenza: Influenza viruses can cause several illness and complications. In BC, influenza vaccine is provided free to children 6-59 months of age, people 65 and older and those at high risk of serious illness from influenza, and people able to transmit or spread influenza to those at high risk of serious illness from influenza. However, the influenza vaccine, while encouraged, is not funded for children and adults ages 5 to 64 years.

 

  • Travel Related Diseases: Vaccine preventable and other preventable infectious diseases (such as malaria and yellow fever) vary by country. Travel are not funded by government. However, families should be encourages to visit a travel clinic to obtain information about vaccines that can mitigate risk for children when traveling.

 

The following resources provide information about vaccines approved by Health Canada not included in the regular immunization program in BC. Information was prepared by the BC Pediatric Society in cooperation with representatives of the Society of General Practitioners (SGP), BC College of Family Physicians (BCCPF), and practicing BC Physicians.

hpv vaccine coverage for all boys

The BC Pediatric Society believes that the HPV vaccine should be publicly funded for all boys, not just boys “at risk” – that’s gender neutral coverage. 

Vaccination was one of the most important achievements in public health in the 20th century. Current Canadian disease levels are 92–100% lower than pre-vaccination era disease levels. However, many children in the Canada, as well as other countries, still die from vaccine-preventable diseases.

*Highest number of cases in a single year in the five years proceeding vaccine introduction.
** Data for measles and rubella from the Canadian Measles and Rubella Surveillance System (CMRSS). All other data are from the Canadian Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (CNDSS). Most recent report of cases in Canada in 2011. 2011 is the most recent validated data available for publication.

Every opportunity should be taken to ensure children and their parents have up to date information on immunizations.

There are many international and national expert opinions on how immunizations should be given (see NACI, CPS, BCCDC) and the BCPS can assist with the practical application of this information.

Every opportunity should be taken to ensure children and their parents have up to date information on immunizations.

Helpful Resources