HPV vaccination statistics for men who have sex with men, Scotland
8 year period ending 30 June 2025

About this release

This annual 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 (GBMSM) since implementation of the national programme in July 2017.

Main points

During the eight years of this vaccination programme:

• 28,769 GBMSM who attended a sexual health clinic since July 2017 were eligible for vaccination. Of these, 62.7% (n=18,041) received at least one dose, a decrease from 63.8% in the previous reporting period (2017-2024).
• Of the 18,041 GBMSM who have entered the programme (i.e. received at least one dose), 82.0% (n=14,798) have completed the full vaccination course. This is a decrease from 82.5% in the previous reporting period (2017-2024).

A stacked bar chart showing uptake of HPV vaccine among GBMSM from 1st July 2017 to 30th June 2025 by NHS board. NHS Tayside has the highest overall uptake and NHS Fife has the lowest.

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Uptake of HPV vaccine among GBMSM in Scotland, 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2025, by NHS Board and vaccination status

• Uptake of at least one dose ranged from 41.0% in NHS Fife (n=662) to 79.8% in NHS Tayside (n=1,545).
• Across NHS Boards, completion for those in the programme ranged from 80.7% (NHS Lothian) to 88.6% (NHS Grampian).
• 43.6% of GBMSM who received at least one dose were aged 20-29 at the time of their first vaccine, while 1 in 8 (8.5%) 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 immunisations delivered in sexual health services are recorded on the National Sexual Health IT System (NaSH), an electronic patient record system in Scotland.

Further information

The next release of this publication will be October 2026.