HPV jab: why are boys missing?

In the summer of 2015, the entrepreneur Bobby Kerr's coffee chain went to see his GP about a sore throat and a small ball that had appeared on his neck.

Later tests showed that the self-made millionaire and founder of the highly successful Insomnia coffee chain had cervicofacial cancer

"It took them a while to find out what he was doing. was linked to HPV [Human papillomavirus] "Kerry remembers now.

This was …

HPV is a family of common viruses that are transmitted through badual contact. In most cases, HPV disappears spontaneously and causes no health problems. However, there are many strains of HPV, some of which can cause cancer or precancerous lesions.

HPV is now so common that about 80pc of Irish men and women will get the virus at some point in their lives.

HPV can cause cancer in men – about 85 men in Ireland are diagnosed with HPV-related cancers each year – the HSE currently offers HPV vaccination only to girls in the first high school year.

However, the benefits of an immunization program for boys as well as girls is twofold; it not only helps prevent the spread of the virus to others, but also prevents HPV-related cancers in males and females by helping the immune system fight and eliminate the infection in humans. HPV

. the diagnosis was difficult. The exhausting treatment needed to clear his cancer – a surgery and several weeks of chemotherapy and radiation – left him debilitated. However, he recovered, and was back at work the following January.

Now the former Dragon's Den, who left his career with Insomnia to focus on his career as a radio presenter, strongly believes that boys should be included "The HSE should vaccinate boys as well as girls, "says Kerr.

"I contracted my head and neck cancer with the HPV virus, and I would be in favor of everything"

"I really think that boys should get the vaccine. [19659005] "If anything can stop people from living what I've had to, it's worth it."

Kerr's Life has changed dramatically in recent years. [19659005] "I now work as a radio presenter three days a week and I talk a lot in public.I have de-stressed my life and I work when I want to work

" I love what I do on the radio , everything is fine, "says Bobby who also gallops three times a week, swims in the Forty Foot There are HPV vaccination programs for boys and girls in countries like Australia, the United States , Canada and New Zealand – in Britain, only 12- and 13-year-old girls are offered the vaccine by the NHS

., Physicians attending the recent annual conference of the British Medical Association (BMA) have requested that the vaccine be given to children from the age of 10 – in case some children could become badually active before puberty

overwhelmingly voted in favor of a motion calling for immunization to be offered to all school-aged children of both bades – and to be administered at primary school.

Here in Ireland, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization has recommended that all boys at 12-13 years of age The national HPV vaccination program on recommendation of the World Health Organization should receive the vaccine against HPV.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (AQHI) is currently conducting an badessment of health technologies. Health. This report is expected to be published next fall, and the Ministry of Health will then decide whether the HPV vaccination program should be extended to boys. "19659005" We are waiting for the results of this report. Dr. Brenda Corcoran, head of the National HSE Immunization Bureau, says the vaccine protects against a range of cancers, including cervical, head, neck, anus and penile cancers. . [19659005ThismedicinehealthprogrammedhealthwasnottheducationalprogrammethodofthedoctoralprofilePhilKieranmedialisttechnicianinCorkilferinvaccinatingtwoyoungwomenmissed

Dr. Kieran, well-known to viewers for appearances in the RTÉ One medical series You really should see a doctor, recently helped launch the HPV's "Not Just for Girls" awareness campaign Health insurance Irish Life Health, which aims to highlight the importance of HPV vaccination for boys and girls. The company is the first health insurer to offer up to € 200 reimbursement for private HPV vaccines for boys and girls.

A study commissioned by the company shows that nearly half of the more than 1,000 Irish parents surveyed were receptive to the idea of ​​vaccinating their sons against HPV, 95pc of them under- estimate the prevalence of the virus.

The study also found a poor understanding among Irish parents about HPV-related cancers in men. Only 8pc of Irish parents surveyed believed that the leading cause of throat cancer in men was from an HPV infection. However, up to half of all oropharyngeal cancers in Ireland can be caused by HPV infection.

People diagnosed with HPV are 16 times more likely to develop cancer of the throat and average almost one-third, or 27 pc. In addition, more than 99% of cervical cancer cases in women would be caused by the HPV virus

says Dr. Kieran. both the medical community and the general public – the warts that people put on their hands or feet are caused by a strain we have known for a long time in medicine.

The link between HPV and cervical cancer has been proven research conducted as early as the 1990s, when studies revealed that the majority of cervical cancer samples contained HPV. A few years later, it was determined that about 99.7 pc of cervical cancer was caused by HPV, says Dr. Kieran.

"The vaccine was released in 2008. It is there to immunize people against the most dangerous strains of HPV.

" The goal is to try to reduce cervical cancer rates. We have seen significant reductions in the rates of pre-cancer changes in the populations that have been vaccinated, "says Dr. Kieran, underlining that HPV is responsible for between 25 and 40 pc of cancer. head and throat (although he recognizes that smoking is the leading cause of head and neck cancers)

"About 80pc of the population" Most people who contract HPV n & # 39; 39, have no symptoms, some have warts, others cervical cancer, "he adds, adding that, like many other doctors, HPV is a cancer of the cervix of the uterus. and parents, he expects a decision as to whether the vaccine will be I have to make it available to boys through the public health service.

This is an expensive procedure for those who decide to have their children vaccinated privately by their general practitioner. and a boy might need two strokes, depending on his age and type of vaccine.

"I will give the vaccine to my sons when they will reach the age of 12 or 13, because it is the age that boys need. If it is not available by the HSE by then, I will buy it for them, "he says, adding that he believes the government should seriously consider d & # 39; extend immunization program to young boys

"It can prevent cancers and can prevent bad warts. It can reduce the risk that a woman gets HPV from an unvaccinated man – currently, when you think about it, you only vaccinate half of the population. "

5 Things to Know About HPV

• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection spreads through direct (usually badual) contact with an infected person About 80pc of all women will have an infection to HPV during their lifetime, usually in the late teens and early twenties. High-risk HPV types (16 and 18) cause over 70% of cervical cancers

• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine protects seven out of ten cervical cancers the uterus and works best when it is administered between the ages of 12 and 13 years and protects against cancers of the head and neck, anus and penis.

The HPV vaccine is currently available free of charge at HSE. girls in 1st grade of high school.

The World Health Organization says the HPV vaccine is safe. About 300 Irish women have cervical cancer every year and 90 of them will die from it. This year, two out of every three girls received the vaccine as part of the school vaccination program.

• The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has recommended that all boys aged 12 to 13 receive an HPV vaccine as part of the program. National HPV vaccination program on the recommendation of the World Health Organization. A decision on this by the Ministry of Health is expected by the end of the year.

• HPV vaccines have also been shown to be effective in preventing infection in men. Some countries, for example Australia and the United States, recommend routine vaccination for boys.

For more information on HPV, visit hpv.ie

Health & Living