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  • Tobacco
  • Second-hand smoke
  • Healthy body weight
  • Physical activity
  • Diet
  • Alcohol
  • Sun/UV exposure
  • Pollutants
  • Radiation
  • Breastfeeding
  • Hormonal therapy
  • Vaccination and infections
  • Screening
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  • Pharmaceutical drugs

Should my son be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV)?

HPV vaccination has been shown to prevent genital HPV infections and lesions in boys. Vaccination for boys is not currently offered in any1 public health programmes in Europe for economic reasons and because penile and anal cancers caused by HPV infection in males are rare. At the moment, parents can choose to have their adolescent sons vaccinated at their own expense in consultation with their doctor or health-care provider.

1 Except in Austria (updated June 2015).

  • What is human papillomavirus (HPV)?
  • How common is human papillomavirus (HPV) infection?
  • How is human papillomavirus (HPV) spread?
  • What kinds of cancer are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection?
  • Can human papillomavirus (HPV) infection be prevented?
  • At what age should my daughter be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV)?
  • Should my son be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV)?
  • If my daughter has been vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV), should she still participate in cervical cancer screening when she is older?
  • I am an adult woman and I have never been vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV). Should I be vaccinated?
  • How long does vaccine protection last?
  • How safe is human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination?
  • Where can I find more information about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination?

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