BASHH applauds JCVI recommendation to extend HPV vaccination to boys

The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) welcomes the recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to extend HPV vaccination to boys.

The JCVI’s decision took into account the long natural history of HPV associated disease and the longer-term impact that HPV vaccination would have on cancer prevention, and the life years lost to cancer. The JCVI first began its assessment on whether the HPV vaccination programme should be extended to boys in 2013, with an initial decision due for 2015. After several delays, the JCVI published an ‘interim statement’ in 2017, providing an update on its deliberations. BASHH have consistently called for the introduction of a gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme in recent years, in line with the other 50 member organisations of the HPV Action coalition. Commenting on the announcement, Dr Olwen Williams, President of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV said:

This decision by the JCVI represents a fantastic achievement for all those who have been tirelessly campaigning for the extension of the HPV vaccination programme in this country. Boys have been insufficiently protected against HPV and its associated risks for far too long. We therefore welcome the commitments made by the Scottish and Welsh Governments to implement the JCVI’s recommendation as soon as possible and we similarly urge HPV vaccination to be extended in England without delay as well.

The full JCVI statement can be found online here.