Doctors in the UK are recommending that the national campaign to vaccinate young girls against HPV, a virus that can cause cervical cancer, be extended to include young gay men.
HPV vaccinations provide protection against the two most common strains of the virus, which can cause cervical and anal cancer. The campaign to encourage vaccination was introduced in Britain in 2008, but restricted to young women.
In a letter to Minister for Health Anna Soubry, the British Medical Association acknowledges that nationwide vaccination for boys “is not economically viable in the UK.” But urges that it be made available to young gay men who visit sex-health clinics because of an “alarming increase in anal cancer in gay men,” with an annual 1% to 3% increase of cases being reported in the developed world.
Gardasil, the vaccine currently being used in the UK, also protects against genital warts—an SDI that can affect both men and women.
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Australia introduced HPV vaccination with Gardasil for girls ages 13 to 14 in 2004, and has now extended it to boys in the same age bracket.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
Every child should be getting this shot, regardless of orientation. But uptight religious parents who think their little darlings will all be straight, and not have sex until marriage, are trying to stop all kids from getting the shot, not just their own.
2eo
@Mr. Enemabag Jones: Like all Anti-Vaxxers they need to be treat as cases of child abuse and neglect.
Fitz
@Mr. Enemabag Jones: I agree– and you won’t get too many dads saying “I think my child will some day enjoy getting fucked up the ass, so lets inoculate him.”. (though they ALL should!) (get inoculated that is)
Allen D.
A HUGE percentage of men carry HPV. I do. I would literally kill someone to be able to go back in time & get that shot.
Long story short, HPV causes polyps to grow around my vocal cords (like Julie Andrews, etc). I get to the point where I literally cannot be understood when I try to talk. I’ve had 4 surgeries for it now & am guaranteed to have to keep having them for the rest of my life.
So, for Gods sake – anal sex or not, HPV can really suck.