BLOW JOBS: ONE PRICK FROM DANGER?

Will Bond on the looming threat of HPV in the gay community…

The fun that is fellatio, otherwise known as; a blowjob; giving head; sucking off; or perhaps, deep throat… Whatever euphemism you have for oral sex, I don’t think many would argue if I suggested that most of us do it.

And if this is the case, then read on. Here’s yet another sexually transmitted disease to fret about that an alarming number of us are blissfully unaware.

Recently, early stages of research and case studies suggest there are dangers lurking behind oral sex. HPV (Human papilloma virus) is one of them. A group of viruses that can be passed through the skin during vaginal, anal and oral sex.

With overwhelming statistics of HIV and AIDS cases in the UK, it seems we’re constantly bombarded with everything that governs safe sex. And quite rightly so, I hasten to add. However, oral sex is deemed to be a safe option, particularly in the gay world. There’s little stigma attached and in some cases, BJ’s are viewed more like a handshake than a passionate act of sex. (Don’t ask what I’ve been doing on my weekends!)

Jokes aside, there is a significant lack of awareness about HPV. Last month the BBC aired Jamie Winstones documentary, ‘Is Oral Sex Safe?’ The program saw Winstone highlighting some unsettling cases of oral cancer caused by HPV, yet confusion remains.

“In some cases, BJs are viewed more like a handshake than a passionate act of sex.”

Based at the Mortimer Market Centre, the ‘UCL Centre for Sexual Health and HIV Research’, is trying to provide some clarification. Director Richard Gilson says, “There are more than one hundred different strains of the HPV virus. Some of which are responsible for genital warts and most cases of genital cancer. Just about everybody is exposed to HPV and nearly all of us can get rid of it, but there are about 1 in 10 people that don’t manage to get rid of the virus, or become infected repeatedly. As HPV can be spread by oral sex, we suspect that the risk of oral cancer may be higher for gay men, however, we are still in the early stages of researching this.”

So with Gilson’s suspicions about oral cancer, it seems like it’s all doom and gloom for gay sex. Or perhaps not, as a vaccine to prevent HPV exists. Ironically, the accessibility of the vaccine is just as confusing. The NHS offered the HPV vaccine to all schoolgirls in 2008, in a bid to decrease cases of cervical cancer. But worryingly, boys were not seen as a priority with the theory that if girls had the jab, they wouldn’t be able to pass the virus on. Of course, this conclusion excludes gay men and at this stage the NHS is not offering the vaccine to males.

A spokesperson from the Department of Health explains, “The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) keeps the eligibility criteria of all vaccination programs under review and research is underway to support a future assessment of vaccinating men who have sex with men against HPV. However, there are currently no plans to extend HPV vaccination to males, based on an assessment of available scientific evidence.”

It is this lack of scientific evidence that means the only chance of a vaccination is an expensive one. Until the government deems increasing statistics to have greater significance, a vaccine will set you back around £300. With so many of us clueless to these risks, it seems outlandish that homosexual men aren’t given the same level of priority as women. Sadly, for those of us that cant afford private immunisation, we will have to wait for science to play its part.

If you’re concerned, talk to your local GP or walk-in service such as the Mortimer Market Centre, but above all, be aware of what’s out there. Hopefully in time, the vaccine will become available to everyone. After all, who would want to turn down a free prick?

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