MSD supports Jabs for the Boys campaign

HPV Action has launched a human papillomavirus (HPV) awareness campaign backed by pharma firm Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD).

The group, which comprises 48 organisations who work together to reduce the health burden of HPV, was presented an education grant by MSD for Jabs for the Boys.

The campaign aims to drive awareness of diseases in men caused by HPV, and In the UK there are around 2,000 cancer cases and 48,000 genital warts cases caused by HPV in men every year.

Additionally, HPV Action has also been championing the importance of making the HPV vaccine available to men, which was the chief issue of the campaign.

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive officer of the Oral Health Foundation and a member of the Jabs for the Boys expert advisory, said: “HPV is most likely passed on through sexual contact and although condoms may reduce the risk of catching the infection, safe sex cannot complete prevent HPV.

“The most effective way to protect yourself against HPV is by receiving the vaccination but before we make that decision, either for yourself or a loved one, it is crucial that we go and find out more about the infection and the vaccination itself.”

The HPV vaccination programme began back in 2008 for girls aged between 12 and 13 years old, but research since has found that various other cancer strains has been linked to the virus.

However, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) decided against recommending the extension of the HPV vaccinating to all adolescent boys earlier this year, but the proposal is now being reconsidered.

Shirley Cramer, chief executive of The Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH), said: “While we wait indefinitely for the final decision, the Jabs for the Boys initiative represents a welcome step towards increasing public awareness of HPV and it is crucial that men, boys and their parents understand the risks that HPV poses and the benefits of the HPV vaccine.”