Should older teen boys get HPV vaccine privately

[dahliaaa]

Just that really.

Missed the schools programme. Already at uni. Finding it difficult to work out if this should be dine now as catch up (or is it too late ?)

Thanks

Have been debating this in our house too with two teen boys. NHS boys vaccinations won't start til 2020 probably, for 13 yr olds, and there will be no catch up programme. We can get ours done at Boots or Superdrug, they'll need 3 jabs, cost £400.

I work in NHS admin. One of our GPs says get it done, now. He won't hesitate next year when his son turns 14. He says before they have any sexual experiences (inc kissing) is the time to do it. Allegedly it's quite a draw for young women at Uni to meet boys who've had the HPV jab....😳 I'm trying to persuade DS1 currently...

That’s great news that it’s getting rolled out in 2020. Makes so much sense to eliminate it completely. Ds is only 8 but I was researching how to get that and the BCG, stupidly didn’t realise there was a chicken pox vaccine in time. He’s in the group that’s been getting the flu vaccine every year as well and i feel so much better about him being “fully covered”.

I wonder if late teens is actually too late then to have it done (if it needs to be before sexual contact.)
??

(I’m talking 18 and just 20)

It's already available for gay men via gum clinics on the nhs....which seems to be not widely known. It's about time it was rolled out for all boys.

I didn’t know that brainwashed.
There doesn’t seem to have been much discussion about it generally for older boys / men which makes it harder to decide.

I've phoned our local School nurse service and Sexual Health service today. No one has yet been officially notified when the programme will start but it is predicted that next year's Year 8 boys will get it in September. It great that boys of tgat age will be covered.

However, the huge worry is that the Government, despite delaying for several years, has said that it will not do a catch up programne. When they introduced the HPV vaccination for girls there was also a catch up programne to include girls up to 18.

Why not for our boys? As a parent of a 14yr old I am unimpressed. I would like equity in health care for our teenage boys!

I have an 11 yo and 14 yo DS and neither will be included in the flu jabs (have never had one on NHS) and presumably my older DS won't get the HPV vaccination as he will be at least 16 (year 12) in 2020 when they start with the younger boys. £400 is a lot of money that many people will not be able to afford.

I’m not sure if the flu jag is nationwide, we’re in Scotland. I can’t remember the figures but I’m sure it’s was a crazy amount of money it saves every year (millions) in treating people. That’s what I don’t get about swithering over vaccines, they save money, potentially millions of pounds, politicians can claim that win forever. That’s ignoring the keeping people healthy and alive benefit.

theregoesbod was it a useful call? Did you come away feeling that they recommended it for older teens?

I’m still not sure re how relevant it is once they are possibly sexually active. (Is it too late then.)

Dahliaa, it was a useful call, yes. They very definitely thought vaccination would be valuable (but wasn't available on the NHS).

Its probably best if you have a read of the 'HPV Action' site yourself. Its been put together by a broad range of health professionals and gives excellent information for you to make your own mind up.

The vaccine is ideally given before puberty, and of course its best to be protected before their first sexual encounter in case the other person has HPV and passes it on. However, teenagers over 15 and adults have three instead of two jabs and are protected as well.

If the Government felt it cost effective enough to use a 'Catch up' programme for girls up to 18 when they brought in HPV vaccination, then why are they refusing it for our boys?

Vaccination for boys is supported by the BMA (British Medical Association) and Society for Public Health (and lots of others).

The cancers involved include anal, rectal, throat/oral, head and neck, not just gender specific ones like cervical or penile. So, it affects ALL of our children regardless of sex.

At the moment any boy in Year 8 or above will NOT be protected against cancers caused by HPV when a simple Catch Up programme could solve that.

Yes. Tomorrow I find out if what I had removed (largish area of vulva) was cancer or precancerous. All caused by HPV. Feel free to search my username, I've mentioned it a few times on here.

I hope its good news for you Blackladybug

Thank you Theregoesbod that’s all really useful.

I really hope everything goes well for you tomorrow Blackladybug