Fact Check: "The Health Promotion Administration (HPA) of Taiwan announced that the government-funded HPV vaccination will be expanded to boys at junior-high school starting in September 2023."
What We Know
The claim states that the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) of Taiwan will expand government-funded HPV vaccinations to junior-high school boys starting in September 2023. However, according to recent reports, the expansion of the HPV vaccination program to include boys at the junior-high school level is actually set to begin in September 2024, not 2023. The HPA has been providing free HPV vaccinations to junior-high school girls since 2018, and the upcoming inclusion of boys is a new development aimed at enhancing public health measures against HPV-related diseases (source-1, source-4).
Analysis
The evidence indicates that while the HPA is indeed planning to expand the HPV vaccination program to boys, the timeline is crucial. Reports from credible sources confirm that the implementation date for this expansion is September 2024 (source-6, source-8). Therefore, the claim that this expansion will occur in September 2023 is inaccurate.
The sources providing this information are reliable, including government announcements and reputable news outlets. The Taiwan News and Focus Taiwan are known for their accurate reporting on health and government policies, which adds credibility to the information regarding the vaccination timeline.
Conclusion
Verdict: False. The claim that the HPA of Taiwan will expand government-funded HPV vaccinations to boys at junior-high school starting in September 2023 is incorrect. The actual start date for this program is September 2024, as confirmed by multiple credible sources.
