Response to announcement on extending HPV vaccine to boys

Statement following the news that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have said the HPV vaccine for boys can be cost-effective:

Robert Music, Chief Executive, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust: “It is fantastic to hear that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised extending the HPV vaccination to boys can be cost-effective. This is a long awaited decision and we hope that the Department of Health and Social Care will act quickly so that boys are soon afforded the same protection against HPV related cancers as girls. Early engagement with manufacturers is an important part of this process and we encourage those discussions to happen as soon as possible.

There is wide variation in uptake of the current vaccination programme across the country and a gender-neutral vaccination presents a real opportunity for national activity to change this. We are fortunate in the UK to have fantastic vaccination and screening programmes which can prevent cancers from ever developing. Improving awareness and understanding of HPV from a young age is one way in which we can increase uptake and protect more people from developing cancer.”