HPV vaccination to be given to teenage boys
ADOLESCENT boys in Wales are set to be routinely vaccinated against a virus which could lead to cancer later in life, it has been announced.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination will be given to teenage boys following a decision by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation last week.
Previously only girls aged 12 to 13 years old were offered the HPV vaccination to prevent cancer, with around 83% of girls getting the injection annually.
It was also extended to gay men aged 16-45 last year in Wales who attend sexual health clinics.
But now the programme will be extended to teenage boys, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services Vaughan Gething revealed.
He said: “I am pleased to announce that I have decided that the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination programme in Wales will be extended to include adolescent boys.
“We will be following the advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) that offering HPV vaccination to boys will help reduce the number of cases of HPV-related cancers and save lives in years to come.
“We will now work with NHS Wales on the implementation of the new programme for roll-out as soon as practicable.”
Claudia McVie, chief executive of Tenovus Cancer Care, said: “This is something we have wanted for a number of years due to the clear health benefits this would bring.
“The current vaccination programme aimed at girls and men who have sex with men has been a success but does not go far enough and the inclusion of all adolescent boys to the programme is vital if we are to tackle the soaring rates of HPV-related cancers among men.
“This long-awaited decision will also bring to an end the unfair situation whereby only those parents who can afford to pay for privately-funded HPV vaccinations are able to protect their sons.”
Dr Jane Fenton-May, Wales vice-chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “This is a positive step. The HPV vaccine protects against a range of conditions and cancers, regardless of a patient’s gender. It’s a simple injection and it will benefit patients.”
HPV is a very common and often symptomless infection spread through skin contact, often during sex. It is known to cause cancer of the cervix, throat (oropharyngeal), anus and penis.
Doctors say the virus is usually contracted during teenage or university years but is only noticed decades later when the patient is diagnosed with cancer.
Latest figures from the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit show rates of HPVrelated cancers in men are increasing at an alarming rate.
Their data has revealed rates of throat cancer tripled in Wales between 2001-15, with 75% of cases occurring in men.
And in 2015 there were more cases of oropharyngeal cancer in men in Wales than of cervical cancer in women.
A study funded by Cancer Research Wales (CRW) showed most cases of oropharyngeal cancer in Wales were caused by HPV.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr Joanna Longstaffe, from the Independent General Practice, added: “This is fantastic news… finally. I’ve long been an advocate for vaccinating everyone against HPV, so this is certainly a step in the right direction and will go a long way to reducing HPV cancers and genital warts.
“Although the vaccination is already available to men who have sex with men on the NHS through STD clinics, it will be interesting to see how the Government plans to deal with boys already aged over 15 who may not be included, and therefore still at risk.”