HPV vaccination
How much do you know about the HPV vaccination?
HPV vaccination provides highly reliable protection against cancer and its precursors on the cervix, anus, in the genital area and in the mouth and throat.
The HPV vaccine has no side effects.
The HPV vaccination is recommended by the NHS for adolescents (boys and girls) between 12 and 13.
What is the HPV vaccination?
The HPV vaccination protects against infection with certain types of HPV that are associated with various types of cancer (such as cervical, throat and anal cancer).
There is one type of vaccine available in the UK: Gardasil® 9, which protects against nine types of HPV. It protects against the most important high-risk types, HPV 16 and HPV 18.
Find out more about the HPV vaccination
Learn moreAt what age should vaccination take place?
The National Health Service (NHS) recommends HPV vaccination for children aged 12 to 13 and people at higher risk from HPV. The vaccination is free and administered in secondary school (year 8) or community clinics for those not in school.
Why this age recommendation?
Vaccination is recommended at an early age because infection is possible from the first sexual contact and many young people are sexually active at an early age. The immune response to the vaccination is stronger and more effective in younger people.
Vaccination for adults
The vaccines are also approved for girls under 25 and boys born after 1 September 2006 who missed having the vaccine at school, as well as men aged 45 and under who have sex with men, and other people at higher risk of HPV. These groups of people should check with their school nurse, school vaccination team, general practitioner, sexual health clinics or HIV clinics.
Vaccination interval and administration
- People under 25 usually receive one dose of the vaccination
- People aged 25 to 45 usually receive two doses of the vaccination (given between 6 months and 2 years apart)
- People with a weakened immune system receive 3 doses (given over a 12-month period)
The HPV vaccine is given as an injection into your arm.
Would you like more information about the HPV vaccination?
Learn moreStatements on vaccination recommendations
- Independent report of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI): There is now enough evidence to advise a change in the schedule from 2 doses to one dose of the HPV vaccine.1
- Statement by the World Health Organization (WHO)2: A single-dose Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine delivers solid protection against HPV, the virus that causes cervical cancer, that is comparable to 2-dose schedules.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/single-dose-of-hpv-vaccine-jcvi-concluding-advice/jcvi-statement-on-a-one-dose-schedule-for-the-routine-hpv-immunisation-programme
- https://www.who.int/news/item/11-04-2022-one-dose-human-papillomavirus-(hpv)-vaccine-offers-solid-protection-against-cervical-cancer
Where can I have my child vaccinated?
Specialist doctors can vaccinate against HPV.
These include paediatricians, general practitioners and gynaecologists.
How effective is the HPV vaccination?
The HPV vaccination is very effective, protects against the most common cancer-causing types of HPV and reduces the risk of cervical cancer and other HPV-related tumours, but it does not replace regular participation in early detection programmes.
Protection for girls and women
- HPV vaccination reduces the risk of developing cervical cancer and genital warts by almost 90% when girls are vaccinated at an early age.
- Even vaccinated women should still attend regular screening appointments with their gynaecologist, as the vaccination does not protect against all types of HPV that can cause cancer.
90%
Protection for boys and men
- Initial study results suggest that vaccination may also reduce the risk of genital warts, HPV-related tumours and their precursors in boys and men.
- In addition, vaccinated boys and men protect their sexual partners against HPV infection.
Herd immunity
The more people are vaccinated, the more the spread of HPV in the population decreases. This also protects unvaccinated individuals, as the viruses are not able to spread as well.
Example studies on the effectiveness of vaccination
- Arbyn et al. (2018)1: A systematic review shows that prophylactic HPV vaccinations are effective against cervical cancer and its precursors.
- Bergman et al. (2019)2: Comparison of different HPV vaccines and vaccination schedules for the prevention of HPV-related diseases in women and men.
- Drolet et al. (2019)3: Meta-analysis shows significant population effects and herd protection through HPV vaccination programmes.
- Lei et al. (2020)4: Population-based study from Sweden shows a significantly reduced risk of invasive cervical cancer after HPV vaccination.
- Falcaro et al. (2021)5: Observational study of the English vaccination campaign shows significant declines in high-grade cervical lesions and cancer cases.
- Arbyn, M., Xu, L., Simoens, C., & Martin-Hirsch, P. P. (2018). Prophylactic vaccination against human papillomaviruses to prevent cervical cancer and its precursors.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 5(5), CD009069. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD009069.pub3
- Bergman, H., Buckley, B. S., Villanueva, G., Petkovic, J., Garritty, C., Lutje, V., Riveros-Balta, A. X., Low, N., & Henschke, N. (2019). Comparison of different human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine types and dose schedules for prevention of HPV-related disease in females and males.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2019(11), CD013479. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD013479
- Drolet, M., Bénard, É., Pérez, N., Brisson, M., & HPV Vaccination Impact Study Group (2019). Population-level impact and herd effects following the introduction of human papillomavirus vaccination programmes: updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet (London, England), 394(10197), 497–509. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30298-3
- Lei, J., Ploner, A., Elfström, K. M., Wang, J., Roth, A., Fang, F., Sundström, K., Dillner, J., & Sparén, P. (2020). HPV vaccination and the risk of invasive cervical cancer.New England Journal of Medicine, 383(14), 1340–1348. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1917338
- Falcaro, M., Castañon, A., Ndlela, B., Checchi, M., Soldan, K., Lopez-Bernal, J., Elliss-Brookes, L., & Sasieni, P. (2021). The effects of the national HPV vaccination programme in England, UK, on cervical cancer and grade 3 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia incidence: a register-based observational study.Lancet (London, England), 398(10316), 2084–2092. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02178-4
How safe is the HPV vaccination?
The HPV vaccination is very safe.
Common side effects are mild and temporary. Systematic reviews have not shown an increased risk of long-term serious adverse effects.
The vaccine has been administered over 270 million times worldwide without any long-term side effects – that is more than four times the total population of the UK.
Common short-term mild side effects
- Local reactions at the injection site: swelling, redness, pain
- Circulatory reactions: dizziness, feeling of “seeing black”
However, these reactions are short-lived and similar to those seen with other vaccinations, such as the tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis and polio booster. Circulatory reactions may occur due to fear or stress associated with the vaccination, which is why the vaccination should not be administered while standing.
No long-term serious side effects
Rumours are circulating on internet forums about a possible link between the HPV vaccination, deaths and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). However, after careful investigation, no statistically significant link with the HPV vaccination could be established. This means that a connection has not been proven.
Studies on safety and safety assessment
Reliable sources on vaccine safety from the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI):
- PEI Bulletin on Drug Safety (Issue 3/2018) : Summary of current safety data on HPV vaccines
- PEI analysis of the safety profile (2015) : Evaluation by the EMA, no evidence of CRPS or POTS in connection with HPV vaccination
- PEI statement on suspected cases (2008) : Investigation of an individual case with the result – no casual link with the vaccination
- RKI – Frequently asked questions about HPV vaccination : Official answers on efficacy, safety, target groups and vaccination recommendations
How do vaccines work?
Vaccinations contain weakened or inactivated pathogens that stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies without causing the disease.
After a vaccination,the immune system stores the characteristics of the pathogens in so-called memory cells. Upon subsequent contact, it can fight off the pathogens more quickly.
In active immunization,the immune system is stimulated by vaccines to produce its own antibodies, providing long-term protection.In passive immunization,ready-made antibodies are administered, which act immediately but provide only short-term protection.
Live, attenuated vaccines contain weakened but replicable pathogens. Inactivated vaccines contain killed pathogens or parts of them. Genetic vaccines, such as mRNA vaccines,contain the blueprint for pathogen proteins to stimulate the immunesystem's response.