The fight against cervical cancer
Mon 17 March 2008
Sarah Ritchie, Bachelor of Journalism
In the past year over 2.2million doses of the gardisal vaccine have been administered Australia-wide.
This vaccine aims to help young women reduce their risk of contracting types 6, 11, 16 and 18 of the human papilloma virus that can lead to cervical cancer and genital warts.
Buderim Marketplace Medical Centre, general practitioner Dr Roger Faint said: “There has been a very positive response to the vaccine on the Sunshine Coast due a good awareness campaign.”
He also went on to comment that Australia is lucky to have Dr Ian Frazer who invented such a safe vaccine that should reduce the amount of cervical cancer cases in Australia.
In April 2007 the government introduced a program to vaccinate girls aged between 12 to 26 free of charge, to ensure that Australia maintains its current position of having the second lowest incidence reported of cervical cancer in the world.
The Gardisal program is estimated to cost the government $A 436 million over a four year period.
The Victorian Government website said there are over 100 types of the human papilloma virus, which is a sexually transmitted disease. The Gardisal vaccine aims to prevent strands 6, 11, 16 and 18.
The Queensland Government website said strands 16 and 18 are responsible for 70 per cent of all cervical cancer cases, while strands 6 and 11 are accountable for 90 per cent of all genital warts.
For the vaccine to be successful it must be administered in a three dose course over a six month period and must be implemented before the person has come into contact with the disease to be effective. The vaccine will not protect from all 100 types of the human papilloma virus so it is still necessary for women to continue to have regular pap smears and check ups.
Human papilloma viruses can be detected through pap smear screening. The Federal Government website found that the previous government had spent $A 90 million a year to help fight cervical cancer. It is estimated that this funding is responsible for reducing cervical cancer fatalities by half since 1985.
In the absence of vaccination the Victorian Government website found that any male or female who has ever participated in sex is likely to come in to contact with some form of the human papillaris virus within their lifetime.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) online recently reported that the Therapeutic Goods Administration has received 500 complaints regarding side effects experienced from the Gardisal vaccine.
Dr Ian Frazer, the inventor of the vaccine and former Australian of the year, was quick to defend his product to The Daily Telegraph.
“The opportunity for young girls to protect against cervical cancer is as compelling as the opportunity to protect against polio,” he said.
The therapeutic goods association acting manager, Dr Rohan Hammett commented that the safety of the Gardisal vaccine was being monitored, but considering that there have been over 10 million doses of Gardisal administered world-wide the rate of complaints reported is considered to be well within the guidelines of that of any vaccine.
By Sarah Ritchie
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