NHS issues urgent vaccine appeal for thousands of teens and young adults

Hundreds of thousands of young people are being urged to come forward for the HPV jab after missing it at school. The vaccine protects against human papillomavirus, which causes nearly all cervical cancers and is linked to cancers of the mouth, throat, anus, penis and vagina.

It is routinely offered each year to boys and girls in school year eight (aged 12-13). But records show that more than 418,000 children left school without receiving the vaccine in the last three years. GP practices across England will invite unprotected patients aged 16-25 to come forward for a catch-up jab.

Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS national director of primary care and community services, said: “This vaccine is hugely important in our fight to eradicate cervical cancer but it isn’t just for girls and women — it’s also vital for boys and men to get vaccinated to protect themselves against cancers of the mouth, throat or genitals, while preventing spreading the HPV infection to sexual partners who could then develop cervical cancer.

“Too many lives are lost to cervical cancer so the hard work of NHS staff across the country in vaccinating and screening as many people as possible will help us to meet our ambition of wiping out this disease.”

Around 3,300 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year in the UK and the disease claims around 850 lives annually.

Studies in England have shown that the HPV vaccine can prevent around 90% of cervical cancer cases.

In the 2023/24 academic year, 76.7% of girls and 71.2% of boys aged 14-15 were vaccinated by school year 10. The NHS hopes to boost uptake among girls to 90% by 2040.

Dr Doyle added: “Encouraging progress has been made recently in increasing uptake but we know there is much more to do.

“So if you’re eligible for a HPV vaccination or are the parent of a child who is eligible, but didn’t get the vaccine at school when they had the chance, I would urge you to come forward when your GP contacts you.

"Only a single dose is required and it could save you or your child’s life.” The vaccine can also be given to those up to age 45 with immune-compromised conditions and men who have sex with other men.

Dr Sharif Ismail, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said uptake had “fallen significantly since the pandemic, leaving many many thousands across the country at greater risk of HPV-related cancers”.

He added: “This is a real concern as each HPV vaccine, now just a single dose offered in schools, gives a young person good protection against the devastating impact of these cancers, which includes cervical, genital, mouth and throat cancers.

“This new catch-up campaign is a really important opportunity for us to make sure that no teenage girl or boy, young woman or man is denied that protection.”