THE IRISH Cancer Society has said the decision by a group of GPs led by Fine Gael health spokesman Dr James Reilly to make cervical cancer vaccinations available free of charge to 300 sixth-class girls in north Dublin is a welcome gesture but no substitute for a free nationwide vaccination programme.
A spokeswoman for the society said a national vaccination programme had been recommended and it wants to see it put in place.
A nationwide vaccination programme for all 12-year-old girls was due to go ahead later this year but in November Minister for Health Mary Harney announced the plan was being shelved for the moment because the country couldn’t afford it. The estimated cost was around €10 million.
The HPV vaccine, which is most effective when given before girls become sexually active, guards against the most common, but not all, strains of the HPV virus which causes cervical cancer.
As a result it is recommended that vaccination runs hand in hand with a cervical cancer screening programme. CervicalCheck, the national screening programme for women aged 25 to 60 years, began last September.
The Irish Cancer Society said having a national vaccination programme alongside screening would be “the ideal situation”.
There are over 200 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed in Ireland each year and about 70 deaths from the disease.
The 300 girls in north Dublin being offered the HPV vaccine free of charge by Dr Reilly and others are all aged 12 years and in sixth class in the towns of Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush, Lusk, Loughshinny, Corduff, Hedgestown and Balscadden.
The vaccines, which will be administered next Saturday, were bought by a consortium of businessmen and will be given free of charge by around 25 GPs in the area.
Dr Reilly said that rather than taking a pay cut this year he was giving 20 per cent of his salary – the equivalent of about €20,000 – towards the initiative after being approached by a local businessman about finding a possible way of vaccinating children in the area. Four local businessmen had also donated money and others had promised funds, he said.
He added that he contacted Sanofi Pasteur and the vaccine was provided at a keen price.
Dr Reilly denied the vaccination programme in his area was a political stunt.
A spokesman for Ms Harney said the Government’s policy was to prioritise the roll-out and take-up of the national cervical cancer screening programme. “That is under way at a full-year cost of €35 million,” he said.