Call to extend vaccine programme to boys
‘Equal opportunity’ HPV virus is related to cervical cancer, but can affect males too
Boots has just launched a new HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination service for boys, and Jeff Brazier is fronting the campaign.
“As a family, we know firsthand how heartbreaking the consequences of HPV can be,” says the TV presenter, whose former partner Jade Goody died of HPV-related cervical cancer in 2009 aged 27, leaving their two young sons Bobby and Freddie, now aged 12 and 13, without a mother.
“Although awareness of female HPV-related diseases is relatively high, many parents don’t realise how HPV-related conditions and cancers can affect boys as well as girls. “It’s essential that parents are fully educated on this and realise there are options for protecting their sons as well as daughters.”
So why aren’t boys currently included in the NHS HPV vaccination programme, and do they really need the jab?
CERVICAL CANCER RISK
Girls aged 12-13 have been vaccinated against HPV through the NHS programme since 2008 to protect them against cervical cancer.
According to Cancer Research UK, about 3,100 people are diagnosed with this type of cancer in the UK each year and almost all (99.7%) are related to HPV. However, HPV is very common and it’s important to remember that catching HPV does not mean you are automatically going to get cancer.
Boys aren’t included in the NHS HPV vaccination programme as they can’t get cervical cancer.
MALE CANCERS TOO
Emerging evidence, however, shows that as well as causing cervical cancer in women and genital warts in both sexes, HPV can also be responsible for penile (47%), anal (80-85%) and some head and neck (16%) cancers in men.
In 2009, soon after the girls’ HPV vaccination programme began, there were more than 6,500 cases of penile, anal and oropharyngeal cancers.
That’s why gender-neutral HPV vaccination campaign group HPV Action, believes boys should be vaccinated too. “Not vaccinating boys, and thus protecting men, suggests we don’t value the health of men very much,” says Peter Baker, HPV Action campaign director.
“It’s daft to only vaccinate one sex, it’s creating a new form of discrimination. HPV is an equal opportunity virus – it doesn’t care who it infects, so you need an equal opportunity response and vaccinating both boys and girls is the best way of dealing with it.”
COMMON THREAT
Worldwide, HPV is the most