Agencies to cut cost of cervical vaccines

CERVICAL CANCER vaccines which were controversially scrapped by the Government earlier this year are to be offered at a discount by several health agencies.

The Dublin Well Woman Centre is to offer a limited number of the vaccines to 12-year-old girls in the Coolock electoral area of Dublin at about €240, nearly a third of the present price of €645.

The Tropical Medical Bureau, which has centres in all major towns, is offering the vaccine for €390, a third less than the usual cost of €600.

Both organisations have announced plans for the scheme as part of the European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, which is taking place this week.

Last November the Government said it was abandoning its plans to vaccinate all 12-year-old girls against the human papilloma virus (HPV) which would have cost an estimated €9.7 million a year.

Some 70-80 women with cervical cancer die in Ireland each year and some 200 new cases are diagnosed annually.

The Minister for Health, Mary Harney, said the vaccination plans were being scrapped because of budgetary constraints and priority instead would be given to the development of the cervical screening programme.

The decision has been criticised by the medical profession who said the cervical cancer vaccine could prevent the spread of the disease in about 70 per cent of cases.

The vaccine is given in three separate injections over a six- month period.

The Dublin Well Woman Centre has been given 450 doses for the first two shots of the Cervarix vaccine from its maker, the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), through the company’s medical donation scheme.

The centre has identified 450 girls within the Coolock area which could benefit from the vaccine and will offer it through staggered payments for parents who cannot afford to pay the full cost upfront.

The centre’s chief executive, Alison Begas, said the Dublin Well Woman was also speaking to the HSE about reducing the rate even further.

“We’re waiving part of our charges in administering it because we want to prove there is demand for the vaccine and brief the Minister for Health officials accordingly,” Ms Begas said.

The Tropical Medical Bureau in Dublin has bought 100 courses of the vaccine which it is selling at cost price and an administration fee of about €50, bringing it to a total of €390.

Dr Graham Fry, of the bureau, said there was a high mark-up on the vaccine when it was administrated privately and it wanted to offer it at a more affordable price. “If you have a 12-year-old daughter, it is an awful lot of money to have to spend and you want to do what’s best for your child.

“We’ve taken the approach to make it available as much as we can. Everybody knows it is the right thing to do,” he said.

The bureau is in talks at the moment with the three private health insurers – VHI, Quinn and Hibernian/Aviva Health – about providing the vaccine at a discounted rate.

Hibernian Aviva Health said it was the only health insurer to currently subsidise the vaccine.

It is offering to pay €250 towards the €610 cost of the vaccine.

The service is available at the Charter Medical Group in Smithfield, Dublin.