The Director of The University of Queensland`s Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research (CICR), Professor Ian Frazer, has welcomed a Federal Government decision to place cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil® on the National Immunisation Programme.
The vaccine prevents four of dozens of strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) which cause genital warts and cervical cancer.
The vaccine is distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Melbourne-based pharmaceutical manufacturer CSL and distributed worldwide by US drugmaker Merck & Co.
Professor Frazer and his late research partner, Dr Jian Zhou, helped create the vaccine.
The Federal Government has announced Gardasil® will be available on an ongoing basis for 12 to 13-year-old girls to be delivered through schools from as early as April next year. The Government will also fund a two-year catch-up programme for 13 to 18-year-old girls in schools and 18 to 26-year-old women to be delivered through GPs.
“I`m delighted the Federal Government has decided to adopt the recommendation of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), to implement a comprehensive program for introduction of the HPV vaccine that Dr Jian Zhou and I helped develop to prevent cervical cancer,” Professor Frazer said.
“I’m also pleased that the appropriate processes have been followed in reaching this decision. The Government`s decision, combined with an ongoing cervical cancer-screening program, will be a significant step towards further reduction of cervical cancer risk for Australian women.”
Cervical cancer kills about 270,000 women worldwide each year.
Media inquiries: Shirley Glaister at UQ Communications (3365 2339). Please note Professor Frazer is unavailable for interviews or further media comment.
