Free school program reduces infection rate by 92 per cent.
Cervical cancer vaccination levels are on the rise and experts are “highly optimistic” the disease can be eliminated in a little more than a decade.
Australia will become the first country in the world to eliminate cervical cancer if it hits its 2035 target.
Prior to the vaccine, it is estimated upto 90 per cent of Australians were infected with the human papillomavirus (HPV) at some point. HPV causes almost all cervical cancers, as well as a range of other cancers.
The free school vaccination program, which began in 2007, has reduced the HPV infection rate by 92 per cent, which in turn has reduced the rate of cervical abnormalities.
Prof Marion Saville, executive director of the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer, told The Guardian the latest statistics – up to and including 2020 when the first COVID lockdowns began – show “coverage has been stable and slowly rising”.
“Despite the pandemic, we’re seeing pretty good coverage,” she said.
Prof Saville said the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee had recommended the vaccination be available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for men and women up to 25 years of age.
In many cases, HPV goes away within a couple of years.
“At a certain point our message is that your better protection is screening rather than vaccination,” Prof Saville said.
‘Despite the pandemic, we’re seeing pretty good coverage’
– Professor Marion Saville