New Cervical Cancer Vaccine for women older than 26
From the ABC News website:
:
New cervical cancer vaccine targets older women
Posted 2 hours 28 minutes ago
Another cervical cancer vaccine will be launched today, targeting women over the age of 27.
Cervarix will be used to protect women aged 27 to 45 who are not covered by the national immunisation program.
It will benefit women who are not exposed to types 16 and 18 of the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV).
One of the drug's principal investigators, Dr Rachel Skinner, says an abnormal pap smear does not mean it is too late to be protected.
"There are many types of HPV that can cause abnormal pap [smears], not just 16 and 18," she said.
"Even a woman who has had an abnormal pap [smear] may derive benefit from this vaccine."
A new study has also found that more than half of women have not heard of HPV.
About 5,000 Australian women aged 18 to 45 were involved in the survey, commissioned by a pharmaceutical company.
HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer and abnormal pap smears in women.
Dr Skinner says while 85 per cent of respondents have heard of cervical cancer vaccines, less is known about the virus.
"What really stands out for me is that most women have actually heard about these vaccines and that's because there has been a lot of media about that," she said.
"However only about half or 50 per cent of women have heard about HPV, which is what these vaccines are designed to prevent."
