Why the HPV-vaccine programme needs to be gender neutral

Once considered a near exclusive concern of women, HPV-type cancers are now a growing threat to men. This needs to be addressed, says Helen O’Callaghan.

IN 20 years’ time will our sons ask why we forgot about them? Why did we think of the girls but not the boys?

First-year girls in secondary schools all over Ireland have had the HPV vaccine available free to them since 2010. Gardasil protects against four HPV types – strains 6 and 11, responsible for 90% of genital warts, and strains 16 and 18 responsible for 70% of cervical cancers.