Advancing a world free from HPV cancers: Our 2025 in review

In 2025 the movement to end HPV cancers and diseases worldwide, led by NOMAN, took important steps toward a simple goal, to stop a virus that causes cancers in women and men alike through routine HPV vaccination for every child. This year brought a major win at the global level and growing momentum across regions, driven by rising recognition that both girls and boys deserve protection from the devastation caused by HPV.

A global first at the United Nations

This year brought a breakthrough on the global stage. For the first time, boys are included in a global call for HPV vaccination through the Political Declaration of the UN High-Level Meeting on Non Communicable Diseases.

Throughout the summer, NOMAN and Global Action on Men's Health (GAMH) worked with partners across our global network to ensure that protecting boys against HPV was written directly into the draft declaration being negotiated at the UN General Assembly. This work contributed to the language now present in the final text. Since the negotiations concluded, the WHO Civil Society Working Group on NCDs has reinforced the importance of the Declaration and called for its swift adoption, underscoring that its commitments remain a vital tool for advancing national action. The declaration was adopted by the UN on December 15, 2025.

This marks the first global signal that HPV vaccination should protect every child, a shift that strengthens national decision makers and sets a new norm even as we continue pressing for broader recognition that HPV vaccination prevents many cancers and diseases, not only cervical cancer.

New Perspectives on Men, Cancer and HPV at the World Health Assembly

At the 78^th World Health Assembly in Geneva, NOMAN co-hosted a roundtable that brought together officials from the World Health Organization, government ministers and leading public health experts. The aim was to build consensus on the need for action on men, cancer and HPV.

The roundtable and subsequent discussions highlighted the realities that continue to hold back progress. HPV causes five percent of all cancers, yet conversation and most national vaccination programmes still target only girls. Evidence presented at the roundtable showed that routine universal vaccination protects boys, reduces transmission, strengthens equity, and is cost-effective for countries at every income level.

Participants also underscored that the current framing, recommendations and financing policies from agencies such as WHO, Gavi, and UNICEF often prevent low and middle income countries from vaccinating boys, limiting their ability to deliver equal protection. Speakers drew on lessons from rubella elimination, the need for better data on the HPV disease burden in men, and the importance of vaccine acceptance, with examples such as Cameroon showing that including boys can increase uptake in girls. The meeting created a shared understanding of the changes needed at the global level and highlighted the urgency of updating policies so that countries everywhere can protect all children.

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Shaping the global discourse on HPV prevention

Throughout the year we continued shaping global understanding of HPV’s impact on males as well as females. NOMAN Director David Winterflood was invited to present at major international forums including the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit in Melbourne, EUROGIN, and the UNFPA Regional Alliance for Cervical Cancer Prevention meeting in Skopje. At the International Papillomavirus Society conference in Bangkok he co-led a workshop that brought together multilateral partners and civil society groups from across Asia to discuss initiatives to advance routine universal immunisation in the region. Alongside this, with GAMH we delivered a programme of webinars exploring how to increase male participation in vaccination programmes, the lived experience of men with HPV cancers, emerging links between HPV and wider health conditions, targeted prevention for GBMSM, and advancing universal vaccination in MENA.

These platforms enabled us to highlight the growing evidence on HPV cancers in men, the benefits of routine universal vaccination, and the need for global policies that recognise the full burden of HPV. They also deepened our collaborations with partners and regional networks that are positioned to shape future guidance and financing decisions.

Accelerating HPV cancer elimination in Europe

Across Europe we continued driving progress toward HPV cancer elimination with our partner, the European Cancer Organisation. Key advances in 2025 included an update to the European Code Against Cancer which for the first time recommended HPV vaccination and coverage targets for males, and the release of the third edition of the HPV Prevention Policy Atlas providing an up to date picture of vaccination, screening, and information policies across the region.

With support from NOMAN, partners convened Members of the European Parliament and leading public health and policy voices to reflect on Europe’s progress and the steps required to meet elimination goals. In Sofia, Bulgaria we sponsored a regional summit at the National Parliament that brought together ministers and officials from ten South East European countries to strengthen collaboration on vaccination, screening, and data systems.

These efforts helped reinforce Europe’s position as a frontrunner on HPV cancer prevention while also highlighting the gaps that still remain between and within countries. Closing these gaps will be essential to achieving equitable protection across the region.

Expanding protection worldwide

Adoption of routine universal HPV vaccination continues to grow worldwide with ten more countries adding boys to their HPV immunisation programmes this year, bringing the total number of countries offering protection to both girls and boys to 86 around the globe. Governments making the move cited the strengthening evidence on cancers in men, the impact of vaccinating boys on transmission, and the importance of equity. Each new adoption of routine universal HPV vaccination helps set a stronger global norm that equal protection is both achievable and necessary.

The Barcelona – Ibiza: Row to End HPV

The Barcelona to Ibiza Row to End HPV began more than a decade ago when two pioneering crews set off across the Mediterranean and helped spark a global push for routine universal HPV vaccination. What started as a bold endurance challenge has grown into an international rallying point that continues to fuel awareness, conversation, and support for ending HPV cancers.

In 2025 we continued to build on this legacy. The race remains a powerful engine for engagement, inspiring teams and supporters worldwide and helping drive the programmes that advance protection for girls and boys. Its influence reaches far beyond the water because every crew, sponsor, and supporter strengthens the movement to end HPV cancers.

We are extremely grateful to the phenomenal efforts of our 8 crews in the 2025 edition, amidst some of the toughest conditions we have experienced on the Mediterranean.

Sign up is now open for the 2027 edition

Looking ahead

Building on the recognition secured in the UN declaration, our priorities for 2026 are clear.

We will work with partners to push for updates to global vaccination recommendations and financing policies so that every country, including those in low- and middle- income settings, can protect boys as well as girls. This includes influencing decisions at WHO, SAGE and other global health bodies, while supporting governments preparing to introduce routine universal programmes and continuing to shape public understanding that HPV vaccination for males is imperative.

In partnership with GAMH we will expand the evidence base and expert consensus through new economic analyses, and reports that show both the feasibility and the urgency of vaccination of boys and girls. Our work will also support the development of broader global targets for HPV associated cancers beyond 2030, helping shift the narrative from eliminating one cancer to eliminating all cancers caused by high-risk HPV types.

Regionally, we will deepen collaboration across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa where momentum is building, and continue working closely with partners in Africa and other LMIC regions to highlight barriers and demonstrate solutions. We will also maintain our presence at major global health meetings, bringing partners and global health experts together to build shared understanding and drive alignment around routine universal vaccination.

Pushing for the policies and partnerships needed to end HPV cancers for everyone is only possible with your support. I am grateful for all who stand with us as we work to translate global recognition into real world protection. Our aim is to put NOMAN out of business by ensuring every country vaccinates both boys and girls, and each step forward brings that goal closer. If you would like to support this work further, you can do so here.

with gratitude,

David Winterflood

Director