NZ approves cervical cancer vaccine

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable of all cancers. Picture / Hawkes Bay Today

Medsafe has approved New Zealand use of the cancer vaccine Gardasil, which fights a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical cancer.

The first vaccine to protect against most cervical cancer, Gardasil was last month approved for use in the United States and Australia.

It protects against four types of the sexually transmitted infection the human papilloma virus (HPV), also known as human wart virus.

A few high risk types can lead to abnormal precancerous cells, with types 16 and 18 HPV accounting for between 50 and 70 per cent of "high risk" infections.

Sexually active women would still need to have regular cervical smears, whether vaccinated or not, Medsafe warned.

"This is because the vaccine only protects against two types of HPV associated with cervical cancer and it is unknown at this stage how long protection will last," it said.

Boosters might be required.

"A woman's best protection against developing cervical cancer is having regular cervical smear tests, between the ages of 20 and 69 years."

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable of all cancers.

Regular smears could reduce the risk of developing cervical cancer by 90 per cent, Medsafe said.

The Immunisation Technical Working Group will reconvene in early August to begin reviewing the National Immunisation Schedule.

The earliest Gardasil could go on the schedule is 2008.

Vaccine manufacturer Merck Sharp & Dohme was expected to market Gardasil as a cancer, rather than an STD, vaccine.

United States reports said it was unclear how widespread use of the three-shot series would be, in part because of its estimated cost: US$300 to US$500 ($487-$813).

The target age for receiving Gardasil was low because the vaccine worked best when given to girls before they began having sex and ran the risk of HPV infection.

It may not protect people already infected and may increase their risk of the kind of lesions that can lead to cervical cancer, the US Food and Drug Administration has said.

- NZPA