A SOUTHAMPTON cancer expert has welcomed the introduction of the HPV vaccine for boys – but has warned against a limited rollout.
Dr Shanmugasundaram Ramkumar, a consultant clinical oncologist at University Hospital Southampton, has warned warned not extending the vaccine to those over 13-years-old is “misguided” and said the suggestion they would be protected by herd immunity from the female vaccination programme was “naive”.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection linked to the majority of cervical and anal cancer cases, as well as vaginal, penile and, increasingly, oral and throat cancers.