This information is relevant to women aged 18–24 years old, who have not previously been vaccinated against HPV
Help protect your future from certain HPV‑related cancers
For women and people with a cervix who are 18–24 years old, HPV vaccination is available for free until your 25th birthday as part of the NHS National Vaccination Programme.
High risk HPV strains (like HPV 16 and 18) can cause certain HPV cancers (like cervical cancer). The majority of people will have been vaccinated in school, but if you missed it, you can still catch up. Help protect yourself by getting vaccinated against HPV.
What is HPV?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STD), globally. Most sexually active men and women will contract HPV at some point in their lives.
Transmitting HPV
HPV can be spread by:
• Close skin-to-skin contact
• Vaginal, anal or oral sex
• Sharing sex toys
Around 4 out of 5 of us may be infected with HPV at some point in our lives.
HPV often doesn’t have any symptoms (although some strains of the virus can cause genital warts). You don’t need to have had sexual contact with lots of people to get HPV and the virus can be transmitted even when condoms are used.
HPV and risk of cancer
Although most HPV infections go away on their own, some high-risk types of HPV may stay in your body and can cause changes in cells, which increase the risk of certain HPV cancers.
The high-risk HPV strains, HPV 16 and 18, cause over:
75% of cervical cancers
(which is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide)
80% of anal cancers
Help protect your future with HPV vaccination.
By being vaccinated against HPV, it teaches your immune system how to protect the body against certain high-risk types of HPV. Vaccination against HPV is most effective when given before any exposure to HPV viruses, so it is first offered to 12-13 year olds (school year 8/S1).
HPV vaccination can help reduce your risk of developing certain HPV-related cancers or genital warts.
What does the research say?
A study estimated that cervical cancer rates have been reduced by almost 90% in women in their 20s who were offered HPV vaccination between 12 and 13 years of age in England, compared with an unvaccinated population.
Help protect others:
Vaccination against HPV can also reduce the risk of spreading the virus to those that aren’t vaccinated.
What can you do?
Help protect your future from cervical cancer and certain HPV‑related cancers. Contact your GP or practice nurse before your 25th birthday to find out more about the NHS National Vaccination Programme.
True or False?
After visiting HPVwise, do you feel informed enough to speak to your GP or practice nurse about taking part in the free HPV NHS National Vaccination Programme?
Thank you for your feedback. Please speak to your healthcare professional if you’d like more information about the HPV NHS National Vaccination Programme.
What would you like more information about?
Thank you for your feedback. Please speak to your healthcare professional if you’d like more information about the HPV NHS National Vaccination Programme.
If you get any side effects with any medicines, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the medicines package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk or by searching for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of medicines. By clicking the above link, you will leave the MSD website and be taken to the MHRA website.
Thank you for your feedback. Please speak to your healthcare professional if you’d like more information about the HPV NHS National Vaccination Programme.
Thank you for your feedback. Please speak to your healthcare professional if you’d like more information about the HPV NHS National Vaccination Programme.
If you get any side effects with any medicines, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the medicines package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk or by searching for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of medicines. By clicking the above link, you will leave the MSD website and be taken to the MHRA website.
Thank you for your feedback. Please speak to your healthcare professional if you’d like more information about the HPV NHS National Vaccination Programme.
HPV vaccination is usually given in the upper arm.
To help protect yourself against cervical cancer it’s also important to have regular cervical cancer screening (sometimes called a smear test) once you reach the age of 25.
You do not have to be vaccinated against HPV, if you do not want to, but it’s a good idea to discuss any questions or concerns with your GP or practice nurse before making your decision.
Eligibility calculator
Are you a woman or person with a cervix aged between 18–24?
You may be eligible to be vaccinated under the National Vaccination Programme, up until your 25th birthday.
After visiting HPVwise, do you feel informed enough to speak to your GP or practice nurse about taking part in the free HPV NHS National Vaccination Programme?
Thank you for your feedback. Please speak to your healthcare professional if you’d like more information about the HPV NHS National Vaccination Programme.
What would you like more information about?
Thank you for your feedback. Please speak to your healthcare professional if you’d like more information about the HPV NHS National Vaccination Programme.
If you get any side effects with any medicines, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the medicines package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk or by searching for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of medicines. By clicking the above link, you will leave the MSD website and be taken to the MHRA website.
Thank you for your feedback. Please speak to your healthcare professional if you’d like more information about the HPV NHS National Vaccination Programme.
Thank you for your feedback. Please speak to your healthcare professional if you’d like more information about the HPV NHS National Vaccination Programme.
If you get any side effects with any medicines, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the medicines package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk or by searching for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of medicines. By clicking the above link, you will leave the MSD website and be taken to the MHRA website.
Thank you for your feedback. Please speak to your healthcare professional if you’d like more information about the HPV NHS National Vaccination Programme.
The free NHS HPV National Vaccination Programme may still be available to you if you are:
A child from Year 8 (More information is available in our FAQs)
A man who has sex with men (MSM) under the age of 45
HPV vaccination is also sometimes recommended for other people at higher risk from HPV
Please consult your GP or practice nurse to confirm your HPV vaccination eligibility.
Should I be worried about side effects?
Vaccines can only be used in people once it has been proven that the benefits of having the vaccines outweigh any risks.
More than 80 million people worldwide have been vaccinated against HPV, including over 10 million in the UK alone. The long-term safety of HPV vaccination has been well studied and side effects commonly seen with HPV vaccination are similar to most vaccines.
Very common effects include:
– Redness, swelling or pain at the site of injection
– Headaches
Other common effects include
– Bruising or itching at the site of injection
– A high temperature or feeling hot and shivery
– Feeling sick (nausea)
– Pain in the arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet or toes
Help protect your future
Help protect your future by getting vaccinated against high-risk types of HPV. Getting vaccinated means you could reduce your risk of genital warts and certain HPV‑related cancers.
HPV vaccination is available as part of the free NHS Vaccination Programme until your 25th birthday
GB-GSL-00143 | Date of Preparation: May 2024
Reporting of side effects: If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
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