Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men can get the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine up to and including the age of 45.
Some trans and non-binary people can also get the vaccine up to the age of 45. Ask about eligibility at a sexual health clinic for more information.
Cllr Christine Bannon, Knowsley Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, said: “The HPV vaccination provides the best possible protection form the HPV virus, which is a very common virus.
Getting protected is really simple and can potentially prevent you from getting seriously ill in the future.
“I would urge those eligible to get their vaccination.”
Book your vaccine.
Gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men can request the vaccination at a sexual health clinic. Find your nearest clinic here.
Why is it important?
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a group of very common viruses that infect the skin and other areas including the genital area, anus, mouth and throat.
There are over 100 types of HPV. Most do not cause any symptoms or problems but some high-risk types can lead to certain types of cancer and others are linked to genital warts.
HPV is very common and men and women can acquire it. It is passed on through all types of sexual contact including skin to skin contact of the genital area; anal, oral or vaginal sex; or sharing of sex toys.
In most cases the infection is cleared by the body within a couple of years and people won’t know they ever had it.
HPV can cause anal cancer, some head and neck cancers, penile cancer in men and cervical, vulval or vaginal cancer in women.
HPV causes:
- Over 90% of anal cancers
- 63% of penile cancers
- 70% of oropharyngeal cancer (a type of head and neck cancer in the throat)
For more information about HPV visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/human-papilloma-virus-hpv
The best way to protect yourself from HPV is to have the vaccine. Condoms and dental dams can help reduce the risk but are not as effective as vaccination.