GPs and nurses at London private GP practice, Harrow Health Care Centre, are excited about the roll out of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to teenage boys – but says older generations are still at risk.
Based at the Clementine Churchill Hospital in Harrow, the team are concerned that many older boys and young men are not included in the roll out of the vaccine this year.
They say that concerned families should consider seeking out the vaccine privately to protect their teenage sons.
The HPV vaccine has already proven to reduce cervical cancer and other cancers since it was first offered to girls in 2008, which is why the Government is rolling it out to 12 to 13-year-old boys in September.
Instances of male cancer related to HPV was once thought low, but it is believed that HPV is implicated in many more cancers than initially appreciated and this new vaccination regime can prevent 29,000 cancers in UK men by 2060.
Jane Woyka, Principal GP at Harrow Health Care Centre, said: “As healthcare professionals, we are all very excited about the extension of this vaccine programme to teenage boys, which should hopefully significantly reduce the spread of HPV in years to come.
“Girls can already enjoy free ‘catch-up’ vaccinations up until the age of 25, so even those who have missed vaccination earlier in life can still get protected.
“This same offer is not being made to older boys and young men who will have missed out on this latest initiative. It is therefore sensible to seek help privately if parents are concerned about the dangers of the HPV.”
Jane said while the rollout of the vaccination to girls since 2008 would help to prevent the spread of the virus, HPV cannot be eradicated until a larger proportion of the population is protected.
“Herd immunity, where more than 80 per cent of the population is vaccinated, is critical in eradicating or reducing instances of a virus,” said Jane. “Uptake amongst girls has been about 80 per cent and we would expect similar results for boys as well.
“This means that while the majority of the population in this age range will benefit from being vaccinated, those boys and young men who missed out will still be at risk – even though the prevalence of the virus has been reduced.”
Harrow Health Care Centre said the cost of private treatment and vaccination was relatively small, compared to the potentially life-changing impact of a cancer diagnosis later in life due to HPV.
To find out more about Harrow Health Care Centre’s HPV vaccine services, please visit www.harrowhealthcare.co.uk
