HPV Action (HPVA) is a collaborative partnership of 51 patient and professional organisations that are working to reduce the health burden of HPV. To achieve this, HPVA is delivering an advocacy campaign that aims to achieve gender-neutral HPV vaccination. This means that all boys and girls will be routinely offered vaccination against HPV at the age of 12/13.
HPVA believes that boys should now be included in the programme for the following reasons:
To ensure the maximum possible protection of women against cervical cancer.
To protect both men and women from other HPV-related cancers (anal, penile, head, neck, vaginal, vulval).
To protect both men and women from genital warts and also children and adults from recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP).
We consider that it is unethical to exclude males from a vaccination programme that could significantly reduce their burden of cancer and protect their sexual health.
Exclusion also exacerbates inequalities in cancer outcomes between men and women and between different groups of men (e.g. men who have sex with men and men who don’t and men who have received HPV vaccinations paid for privately and those who have not).
For optimal effectiveness, males should be vaccinated at the same age as females, i.e. at age 12/13, before the onset of sexual activity. Vaccinating at a later age, and not via schools, will achieve lower coverage and provide less protection for individuals already exposed to HPV infection.
HPVA believes the time is now right for an advocacy campaign on gender-neutral vaccination:
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which provides independent expert advice on immunisation to Government, is currently reviewing the potential benefits of HPV vaccine for those not currently offered immunisation, particularly men who have sex with men (MSM). It is expected that the JCVI will report in 2018.
A small but increasing number of countries now vaccinate, or plan to vaccinate, boys as well as girls.
An increasing number of clinicians, public health professionals and patient organisations in the UK are recommending routine HPV vaccination for boys or, specifically, MSM.
Politicians from all parties in the UK support the case for vaccinating boys.
In 2018, the Mail on Sunday began a campaign on vaccinating boys.
HPVA's work includes:
Lobbying MPs and ministers, government and civil servants
Generating media coverage
Building medical and scientific support
Engaging patient, professional and other organisations
HPVA's work is co-ordinated by its Campaign Director, Peter Baker, Director of Global Action on Men's Health and former CEO, Men's Health Forum (GB).
HPV Action's advocacy work is funded almost entirely by its own members and not by any organisation with a financial interest in HPV vaccination for boys. A few small donations have also been made by individuals and Proctor and Gamble kindly donated a total of GBP 4,170.00. The development of HPV Action's Jabs for the Boys website was supported by a ring-fenced educational grant from MSD. This grant was paid to the Oral Health Foundation, one of HPVA’s members, which managed the project. All HPVA's funds are administered by the Oral Health Foundation.
CONTACT HPV ACTION
Peter Baker HPVA Campaign Director hpvaction@gmail.com
