U-turn as 30,000 schoolgirls to get cervical cancer jab

By Catherine Shanahan
www.irishexaminer.com
Saturday, January 16, 2010

UP TO 30,000 schoolgirls will be vaccinated free of charge against cervical cancer later this year following a dramatic reversal of Government policy.

Yesterday Health Minister Mary Harney said the vaccination programme was now possible because drug companies had agreed to lower their prices for the vaccine against a backdrop of changed market conditions.

Ms Harney said the cost of the programme, including vaccine and administration costs, was originally €16 million but this had been “slashed substantially” to €3m.

As a result, the vaccine will be offered to all first-year secondary school students. The vaccinations will start “before the Summer” – which is approximately 20 months later than originally envisaged; however there will be no “catch-up” programme for older school girls because the Government cannot afford it, Ms Harney said. The Government’s previous decision to scrap the vaccination programme in November 2008 caused consternation and was described by Dr Jim McDaid, who lost the Fianna Fáil party whip, as a “death sentence” for certain 12-year-olds. Yesterday Fine Gael Health spokesman, James O’Reilly, said: “A wrong has been righted and lives will be saved.” Ms Harney also announced plans to roll out a national screening programme for colorectal cancer in 2012, on a phased basis, starting with men and women aged 60-69. It is the first time a national cancer screening programme will extend to men.

Ms Harney said the decision not to roll it out before 2012 was because of the need for significant preparatory work including staff training, the development of colonoscopy facilities and the development of a system for the provision of test kits. Those being screened will be sent a test kit and return a sample for examination. Ms Harney said they would be embarking on a public awareness campaign as part of drive to encourage participation.

Ms Harney made her announcements on the same day as the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) published a report which concluded that introducing a colorectal cancer screening programme in Ireland would save approximately 300 lives per year. Read more…

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