HPV vaccine for boys: why it’s needed, how it works and its safety record

The expansion of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine catch-up programme to include men up to their 22nd birthday is a welcome development. The programme was originally rolled out to girls in 2010 as part of the school immunisation programme. It was extended in 2019 to include boys in their first year of second level schooling.

Subsequent catch-up programmes have been run in memory of Laura Brennan, who campaigned for higher uptake of the HPV vaccine before her death from cervical cancer at the age of 26.

I thought HPV vaccine was aimed at preventing cervical cancer in women. What’s the point in giving it to young men?

Men can pass the virus on to women through sexual contact, so vaccinating them will help to protect women from a number of cancers. There is also a direct health benefit to boys: some types of HPV can lead to cancer in men-including penile, anal, mouth, and throat cancers- while others may cause anogenital warts.

Research shows that almost one in three men over the age of 15 is infected with at least one genital version of HPV and one in five is infected with one or more high-risk HPV types.

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Does it work?

The vaccine’s success at reducing the risk of cancer of the cervix is striking. In Britain, the HPV vaccination programme is credited with almost eliminating cervical cancer in women born since September 1995.

Is the vaccine safe?

The HPV vaccine used in Ireland is called Gardasil 9. Over 100 million people have been fully vaccinated with Gardasil worldwide- including over 550,000 people in Ireland. The vaccine is not associated with any long-term side effects. Mild, short-term side effects are similar to those seen with other vaccines. Some recipients report local soreness, mild swelling or redness at the injection site, all of which resolve within a couple of days. A brief, mild, flu-like illness with a headache and a slightly elevated temperature may affect some people.

How and where can young people get the HPV vaccine?

To book an appointment go to hpv.ie. The vaccine will be delivered by HSE vaccinators and is available free-of-charge through HSE vaccination clinics until December 31st this year.