Scientists are urging a major shift in global immunisation strategy, declaring that vaccinating boys against the human papillomavirus (HPV) is a critical step towards finally eliminating cervical cancer. The call follows a new study which warns that current programmes focusing solely on girls are insufficient for full eradication.
The Limits of Girls-Only Vaccination Programmes
The research, published in the Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, used a detailed mathematical model to assess the effectiveness of South Korea's national HPV vaccination policy. That programme currently achieves an impressive 80 per cent vaccination coverage for girls aged 12-17. However, the model's projections indicate this high level of coverage among girls alone will not be enough to eliminate the virus and the cancers it causes.
Cervical cancer claims nearly 350,000 lives every year globally, despite being largely preventable. While 147 countries have introduced HPV vaccination programmes, the vast majority primarily target adolescent girls, creating a significant gap in population-wide immunity.
A Dual-Pronged Path to Eradication
The study outlines a clear pathway to success. It proposes that if South Korea maintains its 80 per cent coverage rate for girls and simultaneously introduces a programme achieving 65 per cent vaccination coverage for boys in the same 12-17 age group, the country could eliminate HPV-related cancers within 60 to 70 years.
This dual-gender approach works by dramatically reducing the overall circulation of the virus in the population, a concept known as herd immunity. Vaccinating boys not only protects them from other HPV-related cancers but also breaks the chain of transmission, offering indirect protection to unvaccinated individuals.
Implications for Global Health Policy
The findings have profound implications for public health policymakers worldwide, including in the UK. The research underscores that a comprehensive, inclusive vaccination strategy is a long-term investment in cancer prevention. Eradicating a cancer requires leaving no reservoir for the virus to persist, making the vaccination of both genders a scientific and ethical imperative.
The study's lead author, Vishwam Sankaran, and the research team have issued a clear message: to move from control to elimination, the scope of HPV vaccination must be expanded. The mathematical evidence now strongly supports the call for vaccinating boys as a crucial component of a winning strategy against cervical cancer.
