HPV Action Launches New Vaccination Campaign For Boys
HPV Action, a newly formed group, has drawn up a petition to try and encourage the Government to expand the current HPV vaccination programme to include boys. The move is designed to reduce oral cancer rates, which have been increasingly steadily for the last ten years.
Experts believe that around 20 per cent of cases of oral cancer are linked to HPV, the human papilloma virus, which is spread through oral sex. There are also concerns that the number of cases will continue to increase in the future, with HPV overtaking smoking as the main risk factor for the condition.
A study recently published in Cancer Prevention Research also revealed that HPV contributed to an increased risk of gum disease and premature tooth loss. Researchers also found that those who had poor oral health were twice as likely to be infected with HPV as those with good oral health.
Nigel Carter OBE, said that mouth cancer is an increasingly alarming problem, as the number of cases in the UK has doubled since the year 2000. Dr Carter believes that the increased prevalence of HPV has contributed to the increase and is calling for the HPV vaccination programme to be expanded to include boys.
Oral cancer is much more common in men than women and currently, teenage girls are offered the vaccine as a means of reducing the risk of cervical cancer. Male vaccination is already underway in Australia, America and Austria and the British Dental Health Foundation and HPV Action are calling for British ministers to follow suit.
Dr Carter said that results from the USA have been very positive and the cost of the programme, which is equivalent to Real Madrid star, Cristiano Ronaldo’s annual salary, could save thousands of lives.
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