New cancer vaccine protects girls
Last updated 4/10/2008 5:00:14 PM
Teenage girls in Scotland are set to benefit from a £64 million immunisation programme to provide protection against the virus responsible for 70 per cent of cervical cancers.
The vaccine is being introduced on September 1st - a year before the rest of the UK - and is designed to protect against the two main types of cervical cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) - strains 16 and 18.
Girls aged 12 to 13 will be entitled to the vaccine. It will also be available to girls up to the age of 17 for three years as part of a 'catch-up' campaign to ensure as many girls as possible receive protection.This means that around 180,000 girls will benefit from the vaccine over the next two years. It is hoped the vaccine will reduce the number of women diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Public health minister Shona Robison said: "It has potential to deliver tremendous health benefits for future generations of young women, offering them protection against the virus responsible for almost three quarters of cervical cancers.That's why we've accepted the recommendations of the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation and are implementing the routine immunisation programme alongside a catch-up campaign for older girls."