4/22/24, 9:56 AM HPV vaccine - NHS
(Link: www.nhs.uk/)
Health A-Z (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/) NHS services (Link: www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/) Live Well (Link: www.nhs.uk/live-well/) Ment
HPV vaccine
The HPV vaccine helps protect against human papillomavirus (HPV). It's recommended for children aged 12 to 13 years old
and people at higher risk from HPV.
What the HPV vaccine is for
The HPV vaccine reduces your chances of getting human papillomavirus (HPV) (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/human-
papilloma-virus-hpv/), a common virus that's spread through skin contact (usually when having sex).
Most types of HPV are harmless. But some types are linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer, including:
cervical cancer (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-cancer/)
mouth cancer (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/mouth-cancer/)
anal cancer (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/anal-cancer/)
penile cancer (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/penile-cancer-1/)
vulval cancer (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/vulval-cancer/)
vaginal cancer (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaginal-cancer/)
HPV can also cause genital warts (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/genital-warts/).
Who should have the HPV vaccine
The HPV vaccine is recommended for children aged 12 to 13 years old and people at higher risk from HPV.
Children aged 12 to 13
All children aged 12 to 13 (school year 8) are offered the HPV vaccine.
If you missed getting vaccinated when you were 12 or 13, the HPV vaccine is available for free on the NHS for:
all girls under 25
boys born after 1 September 2006
Contact your school nurse, school vaccination team or GP surgery if you or your child were eligible for the HPV
vaccine but did not get vaccinated.
Men under 45 who have sex with men
Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men are at higher risk from HPV.
If you're a man under 45 who has sex with men and you attend a sexual health or HIV clinic, you can get
vaccinated against HPV.
You're eligible for the vaccine up until your 45th birthday.
Other people at higher risk from HPV
The HPV vaccine is also sometimes recommended for other people at higher risk from HPV, such as:
any transgender people who are felt to have the same risk as men who have sex with men
sex workers
people with HIV
Who cannot have the HPV vaccine
Most people who are eligible for the HPV vaccine can have it.
https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/hpv-vaccine/ 1/3
4/22/24, 9:56 AM HPV vaccine - NHS
You only cannot have the vaccine if you've had a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis (Link:
www.nhs.uk/conditions/anaphylaxis/)) to a previous dose of the vaccine, or an ingredient in the vaccine.
There's no evidence the vaccine is harmful if you're pregnant, but sometimes you may be advised to wait until you're no
longer pregnant before having the vaccine.
You can have the HPV vaccine while breastfeeding.
Getting vaccinated if you're unwell
If you have a high temperature or feel too unwell to do your normal activities, wait
until you're feeling better before having the vaccine.
HPV vaccine ingredients
There is 1 type of HPV vaccine given in the UK. You can check the ingredients in the patient leaflet:
Gardasil 9 HPV vaccine patient leaflet (Electronic Medicines Compendium website) (Link:
https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/7330/pil)
How to get the HPV vaccine
There are different ways to get the HPV vaccine.
Where to get the HPV vaccine
Who should have it Where to get it
Children aged 12 to 13 (school year 8) Secondary school (or community clinics for those not in school)
Girls under 25 and boys born after 1 Check with your school nurse, school vaccination team or GP surgery
September 2006 who missed having
the vaccine at school
Men under 45 who have sex with Sexual health clinics (Link: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-sexual-
men, and other people at higher risk health-clinic) or HIV clinics (Link: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-health-
of HPV services/hiv-sexual-health-services)
How the HPV vaccine is given
The HPV vaccine is given as an injection into your arm.
The number of doses you need depends on your age and how well your immune system works:
people under 25 usually have 1 dose
people aged 25 to 45 usually have 2 doses (given between 6 months and 2 years apart)
people with a weakened immune system have 3 doses (given over a 12-month period)
Side effects of the HPV vaccine
The most common side effects of the HPV vaccine are mild and do not last long.
They can include:
swelling or pain where the injection was given
a headache
a high temperature
dizziness
feeling sick
tiredness
https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/hpv-vaccine/ 2/3
4/22/24, 9:56 AM HPV vaccine - NHS
More serious side effects such as a severe allergic reaction are very rare. The person who vaccinates you will be trained to
deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.
More about vaccine safety
Find out more about why vaccinations are important and the safest way to protect
yourself (Link: www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/why-vaccination-is-important-and-the-safest-
way-to-protect-yourself/)
How well the HPV vaccine works
The HPV vaccine works very well in reducing your risk of getting HPV.
Since the vaccine has been used, there has been a big drop in the number of young people getting conditions linked to
HPV, such as cervical cancer and genital warts.
Research suggests that over time the HPV vaccine will help save thousands of lives in the UK.
Important
It's still important to attend cervical screening (Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/) appointments if
you've been vaccinated against HPV, as there's still a small chance you could get cervical cancer.
Page last reviewed: 1 September 2023
Next review due: 1 September 2026
https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/hpv-vaccine/ 3/3
