HPV vaccine for boys?

[30scrisis]

DS has been offered the HPV vaccine. I've read some positive and negative research, have been very careful where I've got my research from. As a parent though, would you give your son this? He's been offered it a bit older due to covid delaying him having had it last year. He's also due the Men awcy at the same time.

I wouldn't say I'm anti vax, my children have had all of their necessary vaccines, however I have refused the covid vaccine for myself.

So just looking to be a bit more informed really! Thanks.

You’re a worrier yet you aren’t worried about cancer

If it's being offered wide-scale on the NHS it's been through trials and found to be safe and effective, so yes I would want him to have it. What have you read that suggests it wouldn't be a good idea?

And out of interest, why have you refused the Covid vaccine? Presumably if you've been offered it already you work in a key role or are more at risk?

@Tangledtresses

My son had it... and if that prevents one woman dying of cervical cancer I'm all for it!

Odd that your son's health isn't your first thought, but rather a hypothetical woman. Apparently the virus causes some 50% of penile cancers.

OP hasn’t come back to say what her concerns are (medical or regarding sexual behaviour) let alone what her well researched sources are.
There’s loads of papers out there as millions of people have been vaccinated but there’s a nice umbrella analysis here which is free to access if anyone is interested.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002817719307378

To be fair rather more men will be affected by a woman they love suffering cervical cancer or the loss of a mutually wanted pregnancy due to her having treatment on precancerous cells than will suffer penile cancer themselves.

The increasing information about the role of HPV in head and neck cancers, which are far more common, is probably what’s driving the widening of the vaccination pool to boys. My DS is a year too old for the NHS HPV jab, so I’ve paid to have him vaccinated privately.

My 13 year old son had his this week as it happens. It protects boys against mouth, throat, anal and genital cancers and can protect against warts and verrucas. Why wouldn't I want him to have that protection? He had a sore arm but no significant side effects.

To clarify, I was just putting the date that boys have been offered it as information and background Totally agree that boys should have it as well as girls and I don't know why anyone wouldn't want their child to have it.

My ds had it. Protects him, protects potential future female partners. What's not to love?

My dd will have it next year and when ds2 is old enough he will too presuming it is still part of the vaccine schedule.

Yes, of course, mine would have it (and will have it, when he gets that old). No one wants cancer or to give a partner an STI that could lead to cancer.

As someone who had clear smears till this one, and with the same partner from 18, I will be letting both my son and daughter have the vaccine.
The hell I'm currently feeling at having the virus and the tests I'm undergoing as well as teh worry that I could have given it to my husband or that I've passed it to my daughter whilst given birth, I do not wish that on anyone .

if the vaccine is still available in a few years and helps either of my children getting it or passing it one. Hell yes they will be getting it

My DS had it years ago. It's standard in the US.

@DinosaurDiana

My DD is 24 and was one of the first year to have it, I think. It’s not a new vaccine.

She wasn't one of the first. I am 30 and was one of the first years to have it (if not THE first year)

Why wouldn’t you have it? I can’t see why I would turn down any vaccine offered by the NHS unless there was a medical reason why.

All I am going to say is my father's head and neck cancer was caused by the HPV virus and I would want my son to have the vaccine to avoid that pain and suffering

HPV causes some throat cancer in men so I'd go for it.

My sons had the HPV vaccine before it was mainstream to give it to boys. We have several GP friends who were giving it to their sons. It has protective effects against rare cancers in males and is thought to protect against one of the causes of prostate cancer. These reasons seemed good enough.

Also I'm 32 and just missed out on it, asked my gp if I could pay for it but as had been sexually active for a couple years they said no.
Definitly get something that can prevent cancer

Yes I will give my son a perfectly safe vaccination so he doesn’t get cancer or pass on a cancer-causing infection to others. Bit of a no-brainer really.

My ds had it last year. Can you specify the research that concerns you?

HPV is responsible for at least 95% of cervical cancers, around 85% of anal cancers, 70% of vaginal, vulval, and oropharyngeal (now the most common HPV associated cancer in the US) cancers, and 60% of penile cancers. HTH.