Friday 25 April 2008
HPV vaccine can save lives - brook responds to results of giving HPV vaccinations to young girls in Greater Manchester
Responding to research announced today on giving the human papillomavirus (HPV)vaccine to young girls in schools in Greater Manchester Simon Blake, Chief Executive of Brook, said:
“At least 10% of young women have HPV by the age of 16. HPV leads to increased risk of cervical cancer in women and the vaccine can save lives.
“It is crucial to give the vaccine to young people before they become sexually active. Most of us will contract HPV at some time - the fact that HPV is sexually transmitted is entirely irrelevant to the value and importance of a vaccination programme which could save hundreds of lives each year.
“Together with a vaccination programme young people must have access to proper education about sex and relationships, as well as opportunities to develop skills, hopes and aspirations and a change in culture so that they expect more from the relationships and sex they choose to have.”
For further information please contact Natalie Collyer, Press Officer, on 020 7284 6062 or 07500 786 762
Notes
1. Figures released by the Health Protection Agency in September 2007.
Brook is the UK’s leading provider of sexual health services and advice for young people under 25. The charity has more than 40 years’ experience of working with young people and currently has a network of more than 50 services in 18 areas of the England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Jersey.
Brook services provide free and confidential sexual health information, contraception, pregnancy testing, advice and counselling, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections and outreach and education work, reaching more than 200,000 young people every year. www.brook.org.uk
