Millions of children to be offered life-saving jab to protect against STI and eight types of cancer

The jab, previously offered only to girls, is now available to all 12- and 13-year-olds, regardless of sex.

The expanded rollout aims to provide vital protection against various cancers, including cervical, throat, neck, head, penis, vagina, vulva and anal cancer - and could prevent over 100,000 cancers by 2058, according to estimates.

HPV is a common virus that infects the skin and cells lining various parts of the body and usually spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, often during sexual activity.

Most HPV infections cause no symptoms and clear from the body naturally, but some high-risk strains can persist and lead to cancer over time.

Nearly all cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV. The virus is also linked to about 70 per cent of throat and mouth cancers, as well as most cancers of the vagina, vulva, penis, and anus.

Cancer Research UK warns that high-risk HPV types can alter cell DNA if they remain in the body long-term, potentially leading to cancer.

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Michelle Vickers, from cancer charity Oracle Head and Neck Cancer UK, has urged parents to "Sign the HPV consent form and sign away cancer."

The group is calling on all Year 8 parents to protect their children against the risk of future cancer by consenting to the vaccine.

HPV-related cancers have doubled in the last two decades, making it the fastest-growing cause of cancer in the UK. While globally, around 700,000 people are diagnosed with HPV-related cancers each year.

A recent study found the HPV jab is cutting cases of cervical cancer by 90 per cent - and scientists believe the disease could be eradicated "in our lifetime" thanks to the vaccine's efficacy.

Coverage of the HPV vaccine dropped last year, with 16.8 per cent of girls and 21.4 per cent of boys not jabbed by the end of Year 10.

It marks an increase from 2022, when 13.5 per cent of girls and 18.5 per cent of boys were unprotected.

To address this, a free catch-up programme is available for girls under 25 and boys born after September 1, 2006, who may have missed their initial vaccination opportunity.

NHS England has pledged to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. With over 3,000 cervical cancer cases per year in the UK, increasing vaccine uptake is crucial to achieving this goal.