Media Release
Embargoed for Monday September 7, 00.01
Vaccinate men and boys against HPV associated cancer says Professor Ian Frazer at
the opening ceremony of the Australasian Sexual Health Conference 2009
Brisbane, Monday September 7, 2009--It is highly likely that in the future countries will
vaccinate both men and boys as well as women against cancers and warts caused by HPV
infection, former Australian of the Year Ian Frazer has told delegates at the opening ceremony
of the Australasian Sexual Health Conference beginning today in Brisbane and running until
Wednesday September 9th.
“Papillomavirus associated cancer and genital warts are problems not just for women, but for
men as well,” said Frazer. “About 10 per cent of the cancer burden caused by HPV16 and
HPV18 is in men, and genital warts affect men and women equally, though men tend to be
more aware of them.
“Vaccinating males prior to virus exposure would likely help protect them against HPV
associated cancer, and also against genital warts.”
One available vaccine protects against HPV16 and HPV 18, the two viruses most commonly
associated with cervical cancer, and responsible for about 70 per cent of these cancers, and a
smaller percentage of other anogenital cancers (anal, vulval, penile), and 10 per cent of head
and neck cancers. The other vaccine also protects against these two types of HPV, and
additionally against two further types, HPV6 and HPV11, which are responsible for about 90 per
cent of genital warts.
“While universal immunisation of men will need to be evaluated from a cost benefit perspective,
implementation of male vaccination against HPV should reduce the community burden of HPV
infection by increasing herd immunity, and therefore provide extra protection against disease in
women as well,” concluded Frazer.
The Australasian Sexual Conference is one of the foremost conferences of its kind in the world.
The 2009 conference will bring together some 300 researchers, scientists and professionals
working in the sector from Australasia, The South Pacific and South East Asia to discuss the
latest developments in sexual health including HPV immunology, Chlamydia, Sex Work,
Sexual Assault and Sexual Dysfunction.
Key Speakers include:
Dr Simon Barton, Clinical Director of the HIV and Genitourinary Medicine Directorate,
Chelsea & Westminster Hospital since 1990.
Dr Claudia Estcourt , Reader in Sexual Health & HIV at Barts and the London School
of Medicine and Dentistry, and Honorary Consultant at Barts and the London NHS
Trust.
Dr Sjoerd van der Burg, Associate professor at the department of clinical oncology of
the Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
Dr Graham Neilsen, Technical Advisor, Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Asia
Pacific Regional Office of the international NGO Family Health International.
Further information: Michael Kessler, Media Relations, Australasian Sexual Health
Conference 2009
Mobile: +61 (0) 404 366 409
Conference Media Room : +61 (0) 7 3308 3252
Email: mkessler@ya.com
About the Conference hosts:
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is a diverse and energetic organisation
responsible for training, educating and representing over 9 000 physicians and paediatricians in
The Australasian Chapter of Sexual Health Medicine is a division of RACP which supports
groups of practitioners working in the area of Sexual Health.
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