Cervical Cancer could soon be eradicated worldwide eventually thanks to Australia’s ground-breaking vaccine.
The cancer is on the decline and will be eliminated in this lifetime according to the International Papillomavirus Society.
University of Melbourne expert Professor Suzanne Garland said this country would likely be the first country to eliminate the cancer.
Cervical Cancer will likely be eliminated in Australia first thanks to its ground-breaking vaccine
Professor Suzanne Garland (pictured) from the University of Melbourne forecasts the rates of cervical cancer will drop from around the current 1000 cases a year in Australia to just a few
‘We are forecasting that over the next 30-40 years, rates of cervical cancer will drop from around the current 1000 cases a year in Australia to just a few,’ said Professor Garland.
‘Our national Human Papillomavirus immunisation program for both boys and girls, combined with our cervical cancer population screening, means we are well positioned to be the first country to effectively end this deadly cancer,’ she said.
Before the vaccination program, almost all sexually active people had contracted HPV.
The news comes as the International Papillomavirus Society released a statement Sunday saying the cancer rate is reducing and will eventually be eliminated.
‘We have the science and the tools, we now urgently need the policy, the resources, political will and the public’s determination to move forward to implement these actions,’ the society said.
Professor Garland is a member of the society.
Cervical Cancer is caused by the Human Papillomavirus (pictured) which spreads by sexual contact and can be prevented with a vaccine
But the eradication is contingent on continued high vaccination coverage and improved screening rates, says Professor Garland, who’s calling on parents to ensure their kids get vaccinated.
Currently, participation in the HPV immunisation program is at about 77 per cent of high school students.
Professor Garland says the remaining 20 per cent represents lost opportunities to prevent cervical cancer and a range of sexually transmitted infections linked to HPV.
Currently, participation in the HPV immunisation program is at about 77 per cent of high school students.
‘Some parents worry about safety but there has been so much work done on the safety,’ Professor Garland said.
‘This is a very safe vaccine and you know you have got to weigh up any potential adverse effect against developing cancer.’
The latest research shows there’s been a dramatic decline in the rates of Human Human Papillomavirus (HPV) – the infection that causes about 99.9 per cent of cervical cancers – due to the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine.
Among Australian women aged 18 to 24, the HPV rate had dropped from 22.7 per cent to just 1.1 per cent over the last 10 years, according to research recently published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.