UK Boys to be Vaccinated against HPV

On the 24th of July 2018, Ministers at the Department of Health and Social Care accepted the advice of the government’s vaccination advisory committee (JCVI) that the national HPV vaccination programme should be extended to include adolescent boys in England.  During the preceding week, Health Ministers in Wales and Scotland confirmed that they would be introducing vaccinations for boys.  This means that, each year, around 400,000 boys can be protected against HPV infection and the diseases that it causes, including cancer.  It brings the UK into line with around 20 other countries that already vaccinate boys or which plan to do so soon.  HPV Action is now calling for: (i) immediate confirmation that boys in Northern Ireland will also be vaccinated; (ii) the early publication of an implementation plan for a national rollout; (iii) a catch-up programme for boys which parallels that available for girls; (iv) the production of information materials targeted at boys, their parents and teachers; and (v) a national campaign which seeks to maximise vaccine uptake in both sexes.  Find out more at: www.hpvaction.org