HPV vaccine and protection

In June 2018, JCVI recommended that the HPV vaccination programme for girls be extended to include boys.

This recommendation followed a review of the evidence on the benefit of HPV vaccination preventing a number of cancers that affect both males and females.

The HPV vaccine also protects against over 90% of genital wart infections.

In June 2016, the JCVI advised that the Gardasil®9 vaccine was the preferred vaccine for the HPV programme, because of the additional health benefits that it provided in protecting against cancer-causing HPV types.

Some individuals may have started the course with Gardasil®.

JCVI have confirmed that both vaccines are suitable for the one-dose schedule.

Last updated: 04 January 2023