Throat Cancer Foundation urges immediate action on HPV vaccine inequality

According to data published by Public Health Scotland, vaccine uptake among 12–13 year-olds in the least affluent areas has dropped to just 59.9%, compared to 82.1% in the most affluent. This gap leaves thousands of young people—especially boys—vulnerable to HPV-related throat cancers, which are rising sharply in men across the UK.

“This is a public health failure in slow motion,” said Gordon Dow, Trustee of the Throat Cancer Foundation. “HPV doesn’t care where you live. The children most at risk are the least protected, and the consequences will be devastating unless this trend is reversed.

The Foundation echoes the concerns of Dr Claire Cameron, Consultant in Health Protection at PHS, who warned the BBC that “inequalities are increasing” in the wake of the Covid pandemic. TCF supports Dr Cameron’s call for universal vaccine confidence and equity in access, particularly in communities where trust in healthcare and education has been fractured.

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HPV—Human papillomavirus—is the cause of nearly all cervical cancers and a growing number of head, neck, and throat cancers, especially in men. Since the HPV vaccination programme’s rollout in 2008, the UK has seen zero cases of cervical cancer among fully vaccinated women—a medical triumph. But awareness of HPV’s link to throat cancer remains dangerously low.

“We must urgently reframe this issue, said Gordon Dow. This isn’t just about cervical cancer. HPV is the fastest-growing cause of throat cancer, and most cases occur in men. Boys are not an afterthought—they are central to this conversation.”

The Throat Cancer Foundation is calling for:

• A renewed public health campaign on the full spectrum of HPV-related cancers, including throat cancer
• Targeted outreach in schools in deprived areas, building on programmes like the one at Castlebrae High School, led by Dom Cairns-Gibson and Edinburgh University’s BioQuarter team
• Collaboration with Public Health Scotland to support local vaccine confidence and education initiatives
• Immediate inclusion of throat cancer prevention in all HPV public messaging

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“As one young pupil said in the BBC report, ‘getting more information helps you not get scared.’ We agree. We will not allow a generation of young people—especially boys—to miss out on life-saving protection because of postcode inequality or lack of awareness.”

The Throat Cancer Foundation stands ready to work with schools, health boards, and public health agencies to ensure every child, regardless of background, is equally protected from HPV and the cancers it causes.