HPV Vaccine in the UK

What is the HPV vaccine?

The HPV vaccine helps protect against human papillomavirus (HPV). It's recommended for children aged 12 to 13 years old and people at higher risk from HPV.

What is the HPV vaccine is for?

The HPV vaccine reduces your chances of getting human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the name of a very common group of over 200 viruses that the majority of the human population will be infected by at some point in their lives.

These viruses usually do not cause any symptoms or problems. Some types of the virus are considered low-risk and these can cause warts or verrucas on your hands and feet or can cause genital warts. Other types of the virus are considered high-risk, and these can lead to cancer in a small number of people.

The HPV Vaccine used by the NHSE in the UK is Gardisol 9 which protects against the main high-risk HPV types (16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58) that can lead to cancer and two of the low risk HPV types (6, 11) that are known to cause genital warts.

Cancers linked to high-risk HPV include:

Head and Neck Cancer (especially of the tonsils, base of tongue, and throat)
cervical cancer
anal cancer
penile cancer
vulval cancer
vaginal cancer

Having the HPV vaccine reduces the chances of contracting HPV, protecting people from developing cervical cancers, cancers in the anus and genital areas, and head and neck regions, as well as genital warts.

Important to note

Being infected with a high-risk HPV does not mean you will develop cancer. High-risk types of HPV are usually cleared by the immune system and only in very few cases lead to cancer.

Who should have the HPV vaccine?

The HPV vaccine is recommended for children aged 12 to 13 years old and people at higher risk from HPV.

Children aged 12 to 13 in schools

All children (boys and girls) aged 12 to 13 (school year 8) are offered the HPV vaccine.

Contact your school nurse, school vaccination team or GP surgery if you or your child were eligible for the HPV vaccine but did not get vaccinated.

Those eligible aged under 25 who have already received one dose of the vaccine by September 2023 will be considered fully vaccinated – and those who missed out on their one dose HPV vaccine can catch up until their 25th birthday via their GP practice

Men under 45 who have sex with men

Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men are at higher risk from HPV.

If you're a man under 45 who has sex with men and you attend a sexual health or HIV clinic, you can get vaccinated against HPV.

You're eligible for the vaccine up until your 45th birthday.

Other people at higher risk from HPV

The HPV vaccine is also sometimes recommended for other people at higher risk from HPV, such as:

any transgender people who are felt to have the same risk as men who have sex with men
sex workers
people with HIV

Who cannot have the HPV vaccine?

Most people who are eligible for the HPV vaccine can have it. There's no evidence the vaccine is harmful if you're pregnant, but sometimes you may be advised to wait until you're no longer pregnant before having the vaccine. There’s no evidence that the vaccination can cause infertility. You can have the HPV vaccine while breastfeeding.

If you have a high temperature or feel too unwell to do your normal activities, wait until you're feeling better before having the vaccine.

HPV vaccine ingredients

There is a singular type of HPV vaccine given in the UK. You can check the ingredients in the patient leaflet:

Gardasilâ9 HPV vaccine patient leaflet (Electronic Medicines Compendium website).

It is noteworthy that the vaccine does not contain porcine ingredients and is halal.

How to get the HPV vaccine

There are different ways to get the HPV vaccine.

Who should have it?

Where to get it?

Children aged 12 to 13 (school year 8)

Secondary school (or community clinics for those not in school)

Girls under 25 and boys born after 1 September 2006 who missed having the vaccine at school

Check with your school nurse, school vaccination team or GP surgery

Men under 45 who have sex with men, and other people at higher risk of HPV

Sexual health clinics or HIV clinics

How the HPV vaccine is given?

The HPV vaccine is given as an injection into your arm.

The number of doses you need depends on your age and how well your immune system works:

people under 25 usually have 1 dose
people aged 25 to 45 usually have 2 doses (given between 6 months and 2 years apart)

people with a weakened immune system have 3 doses (given over a 12-month period).

Side effects of the HPV vaccine

The HPV vaccine is not new, it’s been used in the UK since 2008 and more than 10 million doses have been given. It’s used in over 80 countries including the US, Australia, Canada, and most of Western Europe, and more than 80 million people have been vaccinated worldwide.

The most common side effects of the HPV vaccine are mild and do not last long.

They can include:

swelling or discomfort where the injection was given
a headache
an aching body
a high temperature
dizziness
feeling sick
tiredness

More serious side effects such as a severe allergic reaction are very rare. The person who vaccinates you will be trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.

The HPV vaccine used in the UK contains virus-like particles so there's no risk of getting HPV from the vaccine.