​Human Papillomavirus is a highly contagious virus that lives on the skin. There are over one hundred strains of HPV.

 

The virus is extremely contagious and it is estimated that 80% of the population will have an HPV infection at some

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point in their lifetime. The majority of people infected by Human Papillomavirus will not experience any serious

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health issues, but HPV can lead to other, more serious diseases.



 

 

​Human Papillomavirus is thought to be the causal agent of around 5% of all cancer cases worldwide, along with

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genital warts and laryngeal papillomas. HPV has been recognised and publicised as the cause of cervical, vaginal

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and vulvar cancers, causing many to believe that HPV is a women-only issue.  HPV is increasingly being

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acknowledged as a cause of specific cancers which affect many other body parts, including anal, penile, and head

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& neck cancer, but more needs to be done around research, awareness, prevention and cures.



 

 

Anal, Head & Neck, and penile cancers are increasing at an alarming rate in Europe and the USA, particularly in men. 



​Professor Margaret Stanley, one of our scientific advisory team members, has stated that  if the current trends of

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HPV- related cancer continues, the number of men affected by HPV-related cancer will exceed women in ten years.

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UK experts, including Professor Stanley, agree that we should expand the current female-only vaccination

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programme to include males.