Wanderlust

Tag: hpv

  • HPV jab will be given to boys, government says

    A HPV vaccine being administered to a patient via injection Image copyright Getty Images

    A jab that protects against a virus that causes cervical cancer will be given to boys aged 12 to 13 in England.

    The policy decision brings England into line with Scotland and Wales.

    HPV vaccine is already routinely offered to girls of the same age at secondary school and is free up until they turn 18.

    Experts and campaigners have been calling for equal access to the jab, which can also guard against oral, throat and anal cancers.

    Doctors paying for sons to have cancer jab Cancer patient wants HPV vaccine for boys What is HPV?

    HPV is the name given to a large group of viruses, which can be caught through any kind of sexual contact with another person who already has it.

    Doctors say most HPV infections go away by themselves, but sometimes infections can lead to a variety of serious problems.

    For boys, this includes cancer of the anus, penis, mouth and throat.

    The vaccine has been offered to girls since 2008 as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme, with boys being said to benefit through herd protection.

    But there is still a risk of infection in those who go on to have sex with other men or with women who have not been vaccinated.

    Thousands of boys in England are expected to be vaccinated under the programme each year, which is likely to start from 2019-20.

    Girls aged 12 to 13 in Northern Ireland are also eligible for the vaccine, but no decision has been taken on whether to make it available to boys living there.

    Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisations at Public Health England, said: “This extended programme offers us the opportunity to make HPV related diseases a thing of the past and build on the success of the girls’ programme, which has already reduced the prevalence of HPV 16 and 18, the main cancer-causing types, by over 80%.

    “We can now be even more confident that we will reduce cervical and other cancers in both men and women in the future.”

    Shirley Cramer CBE, Chief Executive, Royal Society for Public Health, said: “It is imperative that the gender-neutral programme is implemented by September 2019 to ensure as many people as possible reap the benefits.”

  • Busting the myths around sex virus HPV

    Laura Flaherty Image copyright Laura Flaherty Image caption “I thought my partner was cheating when I was diagnosed with HPV”

    High levels of shame and ignorance are associated with HPV, the sexually-transmitted virus which affects 80% of people, a survey has discovered.

    The government is rolling out HPV testing as part of routine screenings for cervical cancer.

    Nearly half of the women surveyed believed their partner must have cheated if they had HPV, but the virus can remain dormant for years.

    Campaigners fear women may not attend screenings because of the stigma.

    The survey of 2,000 women was done by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust last month.

    Image copyright SIphotography Image caption HPV first testing is being introduced in Wales this week

    Robert Music, Chief Executive, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said: “Testing for HPV first is a far more effective way of identifying those most at risk of cervical cancer. This change to the programme does mean more women will be told they have HPV.

    “HPV can be confusing however, so we must normalise it to ensure people don’t feel ashamed or scared about being told they have the virus.”

    HPV jab will be given to boys, government says HPV – Would you know if you had the virus HPV vaccine cuts cancer-causing infection HPV jab ‘safe and effective’

    HPV infection is rapidly declining in girls aged between 12 and 18 as a result of the HPV vaccine introduced in 2008.

    Last year, the vaccine was extended to gay men aged 16 to 45, and in July the government announced that it will also be extended to boys, although no start date has yet been given.

    There are no plans to extend the HPV vaccine to other adults over the age of 18, as the likelihood of already having the infection are high, and therefore the vaccine would be ineffective.

    Dr Philippa Kaye, GP and author said: “GPs and health professionals will be having more conversations with patients about HPV as they come in to discuss their results. Understanding how it is transmitted and the relative risks will help reduce the stigma surrounding it.”