The decision of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services to extend the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme to adolescent boys has been welcomed by Public Health Wales (PHW). The decision to extend was made on basis of Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's recommendation.
HPV immunisation is aimed at protecting men and women against HPV-related infections and cancers. The programme was initiated in 2008 to immunise adolescent girls. The current immunisation schedule for girls is the first dose in school year 8 (12-13 years old) and the second dose in year 9 (13-14 years old).
Extending the HPV vaccination programme to boys is expected to substantially reduce the burden of HPV-related diseases, which have already witnessed a decline owing to the vaccination programme for girls. Expressing his pleasure at the Cabinet Secretary's decision, Dr Richard Roberts, Head of the Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme for PHW, said: "We look forward to working with our colleagues in health boards and local government on the implementation".
