Schoolboys will be be given the HPV jab from September in an attempt to completely wipe out cervical cancer.
Teenage girls have been receiving the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for over 10 years to help protect against cervical cancer and other genital cancers.
Now the Government has announced that 12 and 13 year-old boys will also be eligible to get the vaccination.
With parental consent, from the start of the next school year, boys in Year Eight will be given the jab which protects against penile cancers as well as other cancers for at least 10 years and possibly a lifetime.
However, Public Health England has said there will be no catch-up programme for older boys aged 13 to 18, ManchesterEveningNews reports.
For full protection, two doses are needed. The first dose will be given in school in Year 8, with a follow-up dose six months to two years later, also given in school.
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at Public Health England (PHE), said: "Offering the vaccine to boys will not only protect them but will also prevent more cases of HPV-related cancers in girls and reduce the overall burden of these cancers in both men and women in the future.
"I encourage all parents of eligible boys and girls to make sure they take up the offer for this potentially life-saving vaccine.
"It's important not to delay vaccination, as the vaccine may be less effective as adolescents get older."
Estimates from the University of Warwick suggest the vaccine, which protects against the HPV, will prevent 64,138 cervical cancers and 49,649 non-cervical cancers in the UK by 2058.
This will include 3,433 cases of penile cancer and 21,395 cases of head and neck cancer, such as throat cancer, in men.
Giving boys the jab also protects girls from HPV, which is passed on through sexual contact.
The jab has been available to girls since 2008.
In 2017/18, more than 80% of girls had completed the HPV vaccination course.
Public health minister Seema Kennedy said: "The success of the HPV vaccine programme for girls is clear and by extending it to boys we will go a step further to help us prevent more cases of HPV-related cancer every year.
"Through our world-leading vaccination programme, we have already saved millions of lives and prevented countless cases of terrible diseases.
"Experts predict that we could be on our way toward eliminating cervical cancer for good."
