Vaccination
HPV vaccination
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, and most people will have it at some point without knowing. Usually the body clears it. When it doesn't, some types can lead to cancers of the cervix, anus, vulva and vagina, and others cause genital warts.
- GPhC premises 9011598
Recommendations depend on your health history and current guidance.
GPhC registered premises
9011598
Private and NHS pharmacy services from one registered pharmacy in Ewell, Epsom.
In short
Miles Pharmacy in Epsom offers private HPV vaccination from age 9, with no upper age limit, at £185 a dose. Men and women over 45 can have it after a short consultation.
- Licensed from
- Age 9 with no upper age limit in the UK
- Over 45
- Yes, privately after a short consultation
- Price
- £185 a dose
What HPV is and why it matters
- Very common
- HPV spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, usually during sex of any kind. Condoms reduce the risk but don't remove it, because the virus lives on skin they don't cover.
- Usually harmless
- There are more than 200 types, and most infections clear without causing any problems.
- When it isn't
- Persistent infection with high-risk types can cause changes that lead to cancer. HPV causes almost all cervical cancers and many cancers of the anus, vulva and vagina, as well as some cancers of the penis, mouth and throat. Two low-risk types cause most genital warts.
- Anyone can be affected
- Men and women, people in long-term relationships and people who aren't, people of any sexuality.
What the vaccine protects against
- Nine HPV types
- Seven high-risk types linked to cancer, and two that cause most genital warts.
- What it's licensed for
- Preventing pre-cancerous changes and cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina and anus caused by the vaccine types, and genital warts caused by specific types.
- What it doesn't do
- It doesn't treat an HPV infection you already have or clear existing warts. It protects against the types you haven't yet caught.
- Which vaccine we use
- The same nine-type vaccine used in the UK school programme. It's the only HPV vaccine used in the UK programme.
Around one in four teenagers leave school without it
Before the pandemic, almost nine in ten girls had the HPV vaccine by year 9. Uptake has fallen since, and hasn't recovered.
Vaccinated by year 10, England, 2024 to 2025
- Girls
- 75.5% vaccinated
- Boys
- 70.5% vaccinated
Three years of chances at school, and this is where uptake stood. Source: UKHSA: HPV vaccination coverage in adolescents in England, 2024 to 2025.
- The latest figures
- In England in 2024 to 2025, three years of chances at school still left roughly one in four girls and three in ten boys unvaccinated by year 10.
- Boys were added late
- Boys were first offered the vaccine at school in September 2019, so most men over their mid-twenties were never offered it at all.
Over 45? Yes, you can still have it
This is one of the most common questions we get, especially from men, and the answer is often misunderstood.
- There's no upper age limit on the licence
- In the UK, the vaccine is licensed from age 9 with no upper age limit. You'll sometimes read that 45 is the cut-off. That comes from the US licence, not the UK one.
- Why the NHS stops at 45
- The NHS programme for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and some other at-risk groups, runs up to and including age 45. That's a decision about who the NHS pays to vaccinate, not a limit on who can safely have it.
- What the evidence says
- The vaccine's effectiveness was proven in trials of women aged 16 to 45 and men aged 16 to 26. There's less data at older ages, and because many adults have already met some HPV types, the benefit is likely to be smaller. It's still the same vaccine with the same safety profile.
- Who it may make sense for
- Men and women over 45 starting new relationships, men who have sex with men, anyone living with HIV or a weakened immune system, and people who simply want to be protected against types they haven't met. If you're under specialist care for an HPV-related condition, ask your specialist too.
- How many doses
- Three doses over six months, following the licensed schedule for anyone 15 and over.
- We'll be honest with you
- At the consultation we'll talk through your situation and whether we think it's worthwhile. If we don't think it's likely to help you, we'll say so.
How many doses you need
There are two sets of schedules: the ones in the vaccine's licence, and the ones the NHS uses based on UK expert advice. They differ, which is why information online is confusing.
- Licensed schedule, age 9 to 14
- Two doses, the second 5 to 13 months after the first.
- Licensed schedule, age 15 and over
- Three doses: the second at least a month after the first, the third at least three months after the second, all within a year. This includes adults over 45.
- NHS schedule, under 25
- A single dose. UK experts found one dose protects as well as two in this age group, but it's outside the product licence.
- NHS schedule, 25 to 45
- Two doses at least six months apart, for eligible groups.
- Weakened immune system or living with HIV
- Three doses at any age.
- Which one we use
- We follow the vaccine's licence: two doses for 9 to 14 year olds and three doses for anyone 15 or over, including adults over 45. If you've already had some doses elsewhere, we'll only charge for the ones you still need.
- Missed a dose?
- There's no need to start again. We'll work out what you still need.
What it costs
£185 a dose
| Schedule | What that covers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| First dose at 9 to 14 | 2 doses, £185 each | £370 |
| First dose at 15 or over | 3 doses, £185 each | £555 |
One price, paid when you book.
Work it out
Plan your doses
Pick the schedule for your age and enter your first dose date, and this lays out when the rest are due.
This works out an answer in your browser. With JavaScript off, the sections below say the same thing in full.
Call us on 020 8393 1000Your answer
- Starting a course
- Every dose date for the schedule that fits your age, and the date the course completes
- I've had some doses
- What's left and when, without restarting
Dates follow the schedules on this page. We confirm yours at your appointment.
Who books HPV vaccination with us
- Adults over 25
- Most private HPV vaccination is for people who weren't offered it at school, or were past school age when the programme started, particularly men, who weren't included until 2019.
- Over 45s
- Men and women who want protection now, often when starting a new relationship.
- Parents
- Children from age 9 who missed school vaccination, are home-schooled, or whose parents want to vaccinate before year 8.
- People with a weakened immune system
- Who need three doses and want to plan them.
- After abnormal screening
- Some people choose vaccination after an abnormal smear result, to protect against types they haven't caught. It doesn't treat the changes already found.
Keep going to cervical screening
Vaccination doesn't replace screening. The vaccine doesn't cover every high-risk HPV type, and it can't protect against infections you already had. Keep attending cervical screening when you're invited.
Know the signs. See your GP about bleeding between periods, after sex or after the menopause, unusual discharge, new lumps or sores in the genital or anal area, or a sore throat or mouth ulcer that doesn't heal.
Safety
Safety and side effects
- Well established
- It's been used in the UK programme for years and given many millions of times worldwide. It isn't live and contains no viral DNA.
- Common side effects
- Pain, redness or swelling in the arm, headache, and occasionally a mild fever or feeling tired. These usually pass within a day or two.
- Fainting
- Some people, particularly teenagers, feel faint around injections. We'll ask you to stay seated for 15 minutes afterwards.
- Who can't have it
- Anyone who's had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose or to an ingredient, which includes yeast. If you have a fever, wait until you're better.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Vaccination is postponed until after pregnancy as a precaution, though there's no evidence of harm if it's given by accident. It's fine while breastfeeding.
Your appointment
What the appointment involves
- Bring
- Any record of previous HPV vaccination, a list of your medicines, and photo ID. Parents or guardians should come with under-16s.
- How long
- About 20 minutes, including the short wait afterwards.
- Booking the course
- We book your next doses before you leave and send reminders.
- Alongside other vaccines
- It can be given at the same appointment as other vaccines.
Before you book
Questions about the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine
Answered by the pharmacist who signs this page off.
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Yes. In the UK the vaccine is licensed from age 9 with no upper age limit, so men and women over 45 can have it privately. The NHS stops offering it at 45 and there's less evidence at older ages, so we'll talk through whether it's worthwhile for you.
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It's not too late in the sense of age limits. The benefit depends on whether you've already met the HPV types the vaccine covers, which is why it works best when given young. For many adults it still offers protection against types they haven't caught.
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£185 per dose. That's £370 for the two-dose course for 9 to 14 year olds, and £555 for the three-dose course for anyone 15 or over, including adults over 45. If you've had doses elsewhere, you only pay for the ones you still need.
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The nine-type vaccine used in the UK school programme. It's the only HPV vaccine used in the UK programme.
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It depends on your age, your health and the schedule used. Under the licence, it's two doses for 9 to 14 year olds and three for anyone 15 or over. The NHS uses fewer doses for some age groups. Three doses are needed for anyone immunosuppressed or living with HIV.
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No. There's no need to restart. We'll work out how many more doses you need.
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No booster is currently recommended.
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No. It protects against types you haven't caught yet, but it doesn't treat existing infection or warts.
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Yes. Keep going to cervical screening when invited.
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It's postponed until after pregnancy as a precaution. It's fine while breastfeeding.
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Yes, the vaccine is licensed from age 9. The NHS offers it in year 8, so vaccinating younger is a private choice.
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At Miles Pharmacy, 94 Chessington Rd, Ewell, Epsom, Surrey KT19 9UR.
Guides and advice
Guides on HPV (human papillomavirus)
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HPV
7 Facts About HPV
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HPV
What You Need to Know About the HPV Vaccine?
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HPV
The Importance of the HPV Vaccine for Young Adults and Teens
Guides are a starting point, not a diagnosis. What is right for you depends on your health history, your medicines and what a pharmacist finds on the day.
Find the pharmacy
Where to come, and when
Miles Pharmacy is in Epsom, Surrey. Patients come to us from across Surrey, including Ewell, Ashtead, Leatherhead and Banstead, and from Sutton, Cheam, Surbiton and Kingston in south-west London.
Ewell, Epsom, Surrey KT19 9UR
How to get here Parking, trains, buses and step-free access
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The door is on Chessington Road, with step-free access
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The station car park, on Station Approach off Chessington Road
- Address Elizabeth Court, Station Approach, KT17 1DR
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Step-free to all platforms, by a footbridge with lifts
- Step-free to every platform (National Rail step-free category A)
- Lifts two, on the footbridge
Checked against nationalrail.co.uk
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Outside the pharmacy, with a stop on each side of Chessington Road
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Cycle parking at the station
Take this with you
Point your phone's camera at the code and this page opens there, with the directions one tap away.
Sources
- UKHSA Green Book chapter 18a: human papillomavirus (HPV). Checked .
- Summary of Product Characteristics, 9-valent HPV vaccine (electronic medicines compendium). Checked .
- NHS England/UKHSA HPV (GBMSM) Patient Group Direction v5.0, dated . Checked .
- UKHSA: HPV vaccination coverage in adolescents in England, 2024 to 2025, dated . Checked .
- UKHSA: changes to the HPV vaccination programme. Checked .
- Palmer TJ et al. Invasive cervical cancer incidence following bivalent HPV vaccination: a population-based observational study of age at immunisation, dose, and deprivation. JNCI 2024. Checked .
Vaccination
Book a time that suits you.
Choose a service and a date that suits you. One of us confirms it with you directly.
- Private and NHS
- GPhC premises 9011598
- Open until 6:30pm
Prefer to talk? 020 8393 1000