FREE CERVICAL CANCER VACCINATIONS TO BEGIN IN APRIL

School-aged Queensland girls will soon have free access to the breakthrough cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil for the first time, Premier Peter Beattie and Health Minister Stephen Robertson announced today.

Mr Beattie said Queensland Health would spend $25.5 million to purchase an initial 291,000 doses of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine.

“Free vaccinations will be available at both government and non-government schools through Queensland Health’s new school-based vaccination program, which begins in April,” Mr Beattie said.

“The vaccine was first developed by Queenslander of the Year Professor Ian Frazer and could save the lives of hundreds of Queensland women.

“It protects against infection from those strains of HPV that, if left undetected, can lead to cervical cancer.

“The Queensland Government lobbied hard in November for the Howard Government to reverse its decision not to fund Gardasil through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

“This lobbying was successful, with the Federal Government making the right decision in the end.”

Mr Robertson said cervical cancer vaccinations will be provided to female students with parental consent in Years 10, 11 and 12 this school year, and to girls in Years 8, 9 and 10 in the 2008 school year.

“Gardasil offers the most effective protection against HPV if it is administered to girls and young women before they become sexually active.

“It will be administered as a series of three injections over a period of five to six months.

“We also encourage all Queensland females to continue to have regular pap smears even if they are immunised against HPV,” he said.

A separate HPV immunisation program for females 18-26 years will be conducted through local GPs commencing in mid 2007.

Mr Robertson said the Queensland Schools Vaccination Program will also offer immunisation for hepatitis B and chicken pox to all Year 8 male and female students; and diptheria, tetanis and whooping cough vaccine to all Year 10 students, where parental consent is given.

“In 2005-06, there were 372 whooping cough cases and 68 hepatitis B cases notified among Queenslanders aged 10 to 19 years. Chicken pox was far more common.

“Vaccinations deliver major savings to the health system but, more importantly, it will protect the lives of thousands of students at no cost to parents.

“The schools immunisation program is an important milestone in public health.

“There has never been a government vaccination program of this magnitude in Queensland before.

“It represents a great opportunity to not only protect our children but the Queensland community as a whole,” he said.

The schools vaccination program fulfils Queensland Health’s obligations under the Commonwealth-funded Australian Immunisation Agreement.

During 2005-06, Queensland Health distributed approximately 108,000 vaccines through its secondary school programs in Queensland.

Media Contact: Paul Lynch  3234 1190