There are two human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programmes in England.
One is for children who are 12 to 13 years of age, and one is for men who have sex with men up to 45 years of age.
Can I get the HPV vaccine?
The HPV vaccine is offered on the NHS to people born after 2006. It is first offered to girls and boys aged 12 and 13 in school — and they are eligible to get it up until the age of 25. It protects against a range of cancers in men and women including cervical, head and neck and genital.
What if my child missed getting the HPV vaccine at school?
If someone misses their first vaccine in school they can contact their school immunisation programme or GP to arrange one, up until the age of 25.
How does the HPV vaccine prevent cancer?
HPV is very common and can be caught through any kind of sexual contact with another person who already has it.
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Most people will get an HPV infection at some point in their lives and their bodies will get rid of it naturally without treatment. But some people infected with a high-risk type of HPV will not be able to clear it. Over time this can cause abnormal tissue growth as well as other changes, which can lead to cancer if not treated. The vaccine protects against the nine types of HPV that most commonly cause a range of cancers, including cervical, anal and some head and neck.
Does the HPV vaccine work in older people? The vaccine cannot protect against types of HPV that someone has already been exposed to and many sexually active people have been exposed to at least some HPV types by their late 20s.
It is given to children young before most are sexually active. For this reason it gets less effective with age. People aged 15 and over need three doses of the vaccine. Those under 15 need two. It’s important to have all doses to be properly protected.
Can I pay to get the HPV vaccine privately? HPV vaccinations are widely available to buy at private health clinics and high street chemists — including Boots — for about £160 a dose. The vaccine also protects against HPV strains that cause genital warts. Adults need three doses.
What does the HPV vaccine mean for smear tests? There are more than 100 types of HPV and the vaccine does not protect against all of them, so there is still a risk of cervical cancer. It is important to still have regular cervical screenings, which can detect harmful HPV.
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Why should men who have sex with men get the HPV vaccine? The longstanding HPV vaccination programme in girls indirectly protects boys against cancers and genital warts linked to infection with HPV because girls will not pass HPV on to them.
Men who have sex with men have not benefited in the same way from the girls’ HPV vaccination programme. But they are still at risk of cancers linked to HPV, such as penis, mouth or throat.
