Teenage girls to get cancer jab (From Haringey Independent)

Teenage girls to get cancer jab

8:43am Wednesday 10th September 2008

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Teenage girls as young as twelve and thirteen are to be vaccinated against a sexually transmitted disease known to cause cervical cancer.

Year 8 girls will be offered a routine jab in schools across Haringey in a few weeks’ time as part of a nationwide programme to cut the risks of cervical cancer in later life.

The immunisation will help to protect against a dangerous strain of Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV, which is sexually transmitted and can take up to 20 years to develop after infection.

The Cervarix vaccine will be free through schools to all girls who wish to have it, starting with twelve and thirteen-year-olds this term.

Health experts recommend the vaccination, which works in around 70 per cent of cases, before girls become sexually active.

They will have to have three separate vaccinations over a six month period - in October, November and next May.

Joint director of public health at Haringey Teaching Primary Care Trust and Haringey Council, Eugenia Cronin, said: "Prevention is always better than cure and this vaccine will prevent many women from catching the human papilloma virus in the first place and prevent many future cases of cervical cancer."

Around 3,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and more than a third will die. It is thought the HPV vaccination will save 400 of these lives each year.

Councillor Liz Santry, cabinet member for children and young people, said: "Haringey Council will work with the PCT on how this important programme of immunisation will be implemented.

“Before any programme starts in schools, parents will be fully consulted and involved, especially where there are different religious beliefs. We understand this programme could save the lives of many young women who previously would have developed cervical cancer.”

Information leaflets and consent forms will be sent to parents of girls in Year 8 at the beginning of this term. The programme will also be rolled out to Year 13 girls and anyone who has been missed off the list can visit additional clinics to be held across the borough.

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