I'm eligible

Scotland’s Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) immunisation programme is routinely for girls in their second year of secondary school (S2) aged 12 to 13. You will qualify for the immunisation if you are in your second year of secondary school (S2).

From 1 September 2008, over a period of three years, the HPV vaccine will also be offered to girls who are aged 13-17 when the programme starts.

Clinical trials of the vaccine have shown it works best before HPV infection occurs, offering almost 100% protection against the most high risk types of the virus. It is important to get this protection early, as the rate of HPV infection starts to rise from 14 years of age.

Having the immunisation in their teens will ensure girls get the maximum benefit from the vaccine and will be protected from the most common causes of cervical cancer for many years.

Find out more about trials of the HPV vaccine.

HPV is very common and is mainly passed on by having sexually intimate skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the virus.

Postponing immunisation until girls are older and more likely to have started a sexual relationship means they could already have HPV and won’t get the maximum benefit of the vaccine.

To maximise the protection against HPV in girls, in Scotland, girls who are aged 13 to 17 in September 2008 can also have the HPV vaccine as part of a catch-up programme, even if they’ve already left school. It is important that protection against high risk types of HPV is given early enough to be effective — a good time for that is during girls’ teenage years.

All girls in S5 and S6 (2008-09) will be offered the vaccine from 1 September 2008 regardless of their actual age. Girls currently in S3 and S4 will be invited to receive the immunisation from September 2009.