Human papillomaviruses (HPV) cause an estimated 5% of cancers worldwide. Most people will come into contact with the virus at some point of their lives. HPV vaccination for girls has been introduced in all European countries, with most extending this to boys. However, not all boys have access to HPV vaccination and, for those that do, vaccination rates are lower than in girls.
David Winterflood, Director of The NOMAN Campaign, says the goal of eliminating HPV can only be achieved if all countries implement gender-neutral vaccination – and if the public embraces the opportunity to end HPV.
Raising awareness of HPV and the potential to prevent its spread is vital, he told Vaccines Today. By running high profile sporting events ‒ including a major rowing challenge ‒ Winterflood and colleagues are working to include boys and men in this conversation and encourage governments to strive for 90% vaccine uptake.
Read the full interview with David Winterflood below and find out more about the NOMAN Campaign
When did you become an advocate for HPV prevention?
It began when I joined NOMAN: Race to End HPV in 2014. I was deeply moved by the story of Paulette Crowther and her children, who established the Foundation after losing their mother to HPV-related cancer. Their drive to prevent others from suffering the same loss, and the vision of a world free from HPV cancers, inspired me to get involved.
Before you joined NOMAN what did you know about HPV?
Like many people, I knew little about HPV. I wasn’t aware that it affected males as well as females. I didn’t realise it caused 5% of all cancers.
What has most surprised you since you began researching HPV prevention?
What continues to shock me is how under-recognised this virus remains globally. Conversation around its control not only continues to exclude males, but also the other HPV cancers and diseases beyond cervical cancer which are caused by the virus, such as anal, penile, oropharyngeal, vaginal and vulval cancer, as well as recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP).
What is the goal of the NOMAN Campaign?
To become obsolete.
We will do so when every country is vaccinating its sons and daughters against this insidious virus.
Why is gender neutral vaccination a priority?
Because HPV doesn’t discriminate. The clue is in the name, it’s human papillomavirus not female papillomavirus.
Yet historically we’ve asked females to shoulder the burden of prevention. This is not only inequitable, it’s ineffective.
Including males in HPV vaccination programmes not only protects them from rising rates of HPV cancers, it increases programme resilience, and also accelerates the elimination of cervical cancer in females in line with the global goal. No other vaccine is given to only one gender.
Tell us about your advocacy work.
NOMAN’s global work encompasses advocacy and education, coalition building, and generating evidence-based calls to action to educate and ultimately convince policymakers that HPV elimination is possible, but only through gender-neutral HPV immunisation.
What is your proudest achievement to date?
From a personal perspective, working on the successful campaign to broaden the HPV vaccination programme in the UK was a huge milestone. It took us over five years, but it set something of a precedent as several countries also changed their policies in quick succession.
Seventy-eight countries now protect their sons and daughters against HPV – compared to zero just over a decade ago.
I’m also immensely proud of our Barcelona – Ibiza: Row to End HPV events, pitting amateur crews in a non-stop three day/night rowing challenge across the Mediterranean to raise awareness around the connection between HPV and males.
People from all walks of life are inspired to be part of the solution: students, business professionals, Olympic gold medallists, and cancer survivors. They identify with our mission, and our message of hope of a future free from HPV cancers, and want to get involved.
What’s next for the campaign?
Last September at the World Cancer Congress in Geneva, in partnership with Global Action on Men’s Health, we launched a case for action report ‘Boys, Men & HPV: A call for global gender-neutral vaccination’ which has since been endorsed by over 50 organisations from around the world. We believe that it’s time for a new approach to HPV prevention policy, as the evidence for the pubic health benefits of GNV is now robust and overwhelming.
Our goal is that every country should have a GNV programme in place by 2030 with a 90% uptake target. To achieve this, we recommend that the WHO include boys in the primary target population for HPV vaccination.
You can find out more on End HPV Global, and via our Case for Action report.