Boys aged 12 to be offered HPV vaccine as well

Boys will be offered free vaccination that protects against the Human Papilloma Virus, Chris Fearne said on Wednesday.

Since 2013, the HPV vaccine has been given to girls at the age of 12 as part of the free immunisation programme.

The Health Minister said that 20,000 girls aged 12 took the vaccine over the past 10 years with an acceptance rate of over 90%. The vaccination will now be extended to boys aged 12 and a catch-up programme will also be introduced to cover teenage males.

The vaccination protects against cancers caused by HPV, the most frequent viral infection that affects the reproductive system.

Boys aged 12 will from next week start receiving an invite to get vaccinated against HPV. However, Fearne said that over the next three years the vaccine will also be offered to all boys who surpassed the age of 12 since the year 2000 as part of a catch-up programme.

This virus comes in over a hundred varieties. Most of them are asymptomatic but some may cause severe diseases, such as cancer. A person is most likely to get infected by HPV soon after becoming sexually active.

Cervical cancer, certain mouth and throat cancers, anus and genital region cancers, and pre-cancers such as ano-genital warts can all be prevented by the HPV vaccine.

The HPV vaccination, however, does not provide full protection against all HPV infections and is not an HPV therapy. Doctors suggest that even in sexually active vaccinated women, smear tests should be performed regularly.

However, HPV infections and cervical pre-cancers have dropped significantly since the vaccine has been in use.

The vaccine is given in the arm to children between 9 and 14 years of age - two doses which are 6 to 12 months apart. Young people aged 15 and over will have to receive three doses of the vaccine.

Vaccination is suggested for young people before they begin sexual activity.

Two vaccination brands are available in Malta to protect females against the strains of HPV. One of these vaccinations is also approved for use in males and protects against the majority of genital warts.

Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci says the vaccination offered on the national health service is the one that protects against 11 HPV strands - the maximum available to date - and this will now be offered to boys as well.

"The uptake among girls over the past 10 years has been very good and I hope the same will hold among boys," Gauci said.