It says here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6768427.stm
Panel endorses girls' cancer jab
All girls aged between 12 and 13 in the UK should be vaccinated
against the virus that causes cervical cancer, a government panel has
recommended.
The government in England said while it accepted the advice "in
principle", it would have to decide if the programme was financially
viable.
It is thought that vaccinating against human papillomavirus (HPV)
could save hundreds of lives in the UK each year.
But experts say it could be 20 years before the first benefits are
seen.
This is a huge step forward in preventing cancer
Dr David Salisbury
Department of Health
It will also prove expensive, costing around £250 for three doses over
six months.
However, campaigners say it represents value for money given how
effective it is in combating HPV, which is held responsible for around
70% of cervical cancer cases.
The disease kills 274,000 women worldwide every year, including 1,120
in the UK.
"This is a huge step forward in preventing cancer," said Dr David
Salisbury, Director of Immunisation at the Department of Health, after
the recommendation was made.
There are two vaccine possibilities: Gardasil, made by Merck and
Sanofi Pasteur, has already been approved in 76 countries, while
Cervarix is expected to be launched in Europe later this year.
Pre-emptive strike
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) examined
the evidence surrounding the vaccines before concluding that 12-and
13-year-old girls should all be immunised.
The main benefits won't be seen until decades down the line
Dr David Elliman
But it did not, as some had hoped, call for a "catch-up" programme
which would include all those up to the age of 16.
The vaccine is most effective when it is administered to girls before
they become sexually active.
Some have expressed concerns that providing a jab to protect against a
sexually transmitted infection to children at a young age might
encourage promiscuity.
But in a Manchester University study of parents' attitudes, only a
minority of those asked expressed concern about the sexual
implications. The report concluded that most - if convinced the jab
was safe and effective - would support the vaccine.
In any event, parents would have the final say as to whether their
child received the injection.
Strings attached
The Tories have accused the government of dragging its feet on the
issue, noting that many countries had already approved the vaccine.
Switzerland gave it the green light this week, following on the heels
of Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Norway, Luxembourg and Belgium. It
has also been approved in Australia and several US states.
Following the announcement from the JCVI, health minister Caroline
Flint said she was "delighted to announce that we intend, in
principle, to introduce an HPV vaccine into the national immunisation
programme".
But there were conditions, a Department of Health statement added. The
programme would have to undergo an "independent peer review of the
cost-benefit analysis", and funding for it would be "considered in the
context of the Comprehensive Spending Review".
The vaccine costs more than all the immunisations each child receives
put together, said Dr David Elliman, a consultant In Community Child
Health at Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children.
"It will be a big, long-term investment," he said. "The main benefits
won't be seen until decades down the line, as these girls become
women, but we will, eventually, get our money back."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/6768427.stm
Published: 2007/06/20 13:53:33 GMT
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