11.06.12
HPV vaccination scheme should be extended – BASHH
Government health advisers should recommend extending the HPV vaccination scheme to cover sexually active gay men, the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) is urging.
The campaign is backed by the BMA, Terrence Higgins Trust and several MPs, and aims to stop the spread of HPV, which is linked to genital warts and cervical, anal and other types of cancer.
The current vaccination scheme, which has been in place since 2008, covers 12 and 13 year old girls and has significantly reduced infections. The scheme also indirectly protects heterosexual boys, but sexually active gay men are still at high risk.
BASHH wants the vaccine to be provided for free to gay men attending sexual health clinics. The extra financial burden to the NHS could be offset by a future decline in cancer treatments.
Dr David Asboe of BASHH said: “We recognise that there’s a burden of disease, particularly for gay men, that is not being met and we recognise that there’s an effective intervention.
“With any healthcare intervention there's going to be arguments about the cost effectiveness. A full analysis has not yet been conducted but certainly, in terms of cervical cancer, those arguments are well-rehearsed and it's a very cost-effective intervention.”
Conservative MP Peter Bottomley supports the proposals and said: “In time my descendants won’t be exposed to genital warts or cervical cancer because of the vaccination programme – except for those who might be men who have sex with men.
“I don't see why gay men should be left out. If you want to reduce the antisocial transmission of viruses and if we want to reduce anal cancers the same way we reduce cervical cancers, we need to be open about where the gaps are.”
The Government’s joint committee on vaccination and immunisation meets on Wednesday (June 13) and will consider the request to extend the programme.
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