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The Ministry of Health has begun a bidding war for a vaccine against cervical cancer.
It has asked pharmaceutical companies for proposals on supplying vaccines against human papilloma virus (HPV), a common, sexually transmitted infection linked with cervical cancer and genital warts. The infection is also implicated in other genital cancers and cancer of the throat.
In this year's Budget round, the Government turned down recommendations to pay for girls as young as 11 to be given what is currently New Zealand's only licensed HPV vaccine, Gardasil, suggesting it would wait until another came on the market and the price dropped.
Merck and CSL, the suppliers of Gardasil, beat GlaxoSmithKline in the international race to prove and commercially launch an HPV vaccine.
Gardasil, which costs around $450 for the three injections, went on sale in New Zealand last year. GSK's vaccine, Cervarix, was licensed in Australia in May and is now licensed in 41 countries, but is still awaiting approval in New Zealand.
The company "expects to hear soon" about its licensing application to the ministry's Medsafe unit, said GSK New Zealand's head of medical affairs, Andrew Hvizdos.
The ministry's request-for-proposal (RFP) reflects Prime Minister Helen Clark's announcement in November at the Labour Party's conference that she was seeking urgent advice on cervical cancer vaccination.
About 180 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and around 60 die from the disease. The incidence and death rate have reduced significantly since the introduction of mass screening for the disease began in 1991 and although mass vaccination is expected to cut the incidence further, routine cervical smears would still be recommended.
Dr Hvizdos said GSK had told the ministry it would be beneficial to include Cervarix on the national immunisation schedule.
"GSK would also welcome the opportunity to participate in any RFP conducted by the ministry.
CSL New Zealand general manager David Bowler said yesterday that his company was looking forward to responding to any RFP from the ministry.
More than 1000 young women have paid privately for the vaccine in New Zealand.
In Australia, Gardasil is Government-funded for girls aged 12 and 13.
* WHAT'S AVAILABLE
Gardasil and Cervarix can protect against two types of human papilloma virus that are linked with genital and mouth cancers, including more than 70 per cent of cervical cancers.
Gardasil can protect against two other types of HPV which are linked with most cases of genital warts.
Cervarix offers some protection against a further two types of HPV that are linked with cervical cancer.
Gardasil is licensed in New Zealand for use in females aged 9-26 and 9-15-year-old boys.
Cervarix is expected to be licensed soon. In Australia it is licensed for females aged 10-45.
