World Cancer Day - Call for HPV Vaccination for Boys

As part of World Cancer Day (Thursday 4th February 2016), Cancer Focus Northern Ireland is urging all local MPs to support an Early Day Motion (EDM) at Westminster calling for adolescent boys to be given the HPV vaccination to help reduce the incidence of cancer.  The charity is also calling on the Department of Health at Stormont to introduce the measure.  The primary sponsor of the EDM is South Antrim MP Danny Kinahan, and six other local MPs have already supported this motion.  Human papilloma virus (HPV) is a very common sexually transmitted infection that can cause a range of cancers (cervical, vaginal, vulval, penile, anal, and oral) as well as genital warts.  There is already a vaccination programme for 12/13-year-old girls in place.  Cancer Focus says that extending the HPV vaccination to include adolescent boys is the optimal way to reduce preventable HPV related cancers - since, with every year that passes, 12,000 more boys in Northern Ireland are left unprotected against HPV-related diseases.  For more information on the campaign, visit: www.hpvaction.org