HPV vaccination statistics for men who have sex with men, Scotland
7 year period ending 30 June 2024

About this release

This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) provides a summary of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) since implementation of the national programme in July 2017.

Main points

During the seven years of this vaccination programme:

• 26,400 GBMSM who attended a sexual health clinic since July 2017 were eligible for vaccination. Of these, 63.8% (n=16,833) received at least one dose, and thus, entered the programme. Uptake of at least one dose ranged from 43.5% (n=621) in NHS Fife to 78.7% (n=1,426) in NHS Tayside.

Chart showing the uptake HPV % by NHS Board over the 7 years

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Uptake of HPV vaccine among GBMSM in Scotland, 01 July 2017 to 30 June 2024, by NHS Board and vaccination status

• Of the 16,833 men who have entered the programme, 82.5% (n=13,883) have completed the full vaccination course. In NHS Boards completion for those in the programme ranged from 80.1% (n=488) in NHS Forth Valley to 88.4% (n=1,361) in NHS Grampian.
• All NHS Boards have offered the vaccine to eligible individuals since July 2017. However, there is variation in uptake by NHS Board among those eligible.
• Over half (51.8%) of the men entering the programme were aged 20-29 at the time of their first vaccine, while fewer than 1 in 10 (8.6%) were aged under 20 years.

Background

HPV is a virus spread through sexual contact. There are over 200 different HPV types and high-risk types can cause head and neck, cervical and anogenital cancers. HPV also causes genital warts.

The immunisation programme was initiated following advice from the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which recognised that GBMSM received little benefit from the school-based programme and since GBMSM are also at excess risk of HPV-associated cancers. An HPV immunisation programme for GBMSM aged up to and including 45 years old was introduced in Scotland in July 2017. The programme is mainly delivered through sexual health services. Individuals are offered one, two or three doses of the vaccine depending on their age, if they are immunosuppressed, or are known to be HIV-positive. Schedules are outlined in the Green Book Chapter 18a. The immunisation programme for GBMSM is separate, but complementary, to the secondary school-based programme which offers one dose of HPV vaccine to all young people.

HPV immunisation events are recorded on the National Sexual Health IT System (NaSH), an electronic patient record system in sexual health services in Scotland.

Further information

The next release of this publication will be October 2025.