New research recently suggested that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has reduced cervical cancer rates by almost 90%.
The HVP jab protects against a range of cancers including cervical, head and neck, and genital.
Without vaccination, experts believe the toll for pre-cancerous changes could have affected almost 36,000 women.
But who is eligible to receive this vaccination for free, and how much does it cost for those who have to pay?
Who is eligible for the free HPV vaccine?
There are two free HPV vaccination programmes in England.
One is for children who are 12 to 13 years of age, and one is for men who have sex with men (MSM) up to 45 years of age.
The HPV vaccine is offered on the NHS to people born after September 1, 2006.
It is first offered to girls and boys aged 12 and 13 in school, which is when the students will be in Year 8.
If you miss either of your HPV vaccine doses, speak to your school immunisation team or GP surgery and make an appointment to have the missed dose as soon as possible.
If you missed the HPV vaccine when you were 12 or 13, you can have it free on the NHS up until you turn 25 years old.
You should contact your GP surgery to make an appointment.
People who have the 1st dose of the HPV vaccine at 15 years of age or above will need to have three doses of the vaccine. This is because they do not respond as well to two doses as younger people do.
Men who have sex with men (MSM) have not benefited in the same way from the first programme as it used to be only given to girls, so many have been left unprotected against HPV.
Since April 2018, MSM up to and including 45 years of age have been eligible for free HPV vaccination on the NHS when they visit sexual health clinics and HIV clinics in the UK.
Some transgender people are also eligible for the HPV vaccine.
Trans women (people who were assigned male at birth) are eligible for the HPV vaccine if their risk of getting HPV is similar to the risk of MSM who are eligible for the HPV vaccine.
Trans men (people who were assigned female at birth) are eligible if they have sex with other men and are aged 45 or under.
How much does the HPV vaccine cost for everyone else?
For people who are not eligible for the free jab – so anyone above the age of 25, and MSM who are over the age of 45 – you will have to pay if you wish to receive it.
The price can vary from company to company, but the average is around £170 per dose – keep in mind that you will have to have three doses, so the full course could cost upwards of £510.
Superdrug offers a two-dose course for £329, and a three-dose course for £469.
Mild side effects you may experience after receiving the jabs include dizziness, nausea, headaches, and a fever.
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