Scarce Economic Resources Lead Irish Government To Abandon HPV Vaccination Plan

Main Category: Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Article Date: 07 Nov 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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The Irish government on Tuesday announced that "very scarce" health resources have led it to abandon a plan to vaccinate all 12-year-old girls in the republic against human papillomavirus, some strains of which can lead to cervical cancer, the Irish Times reports. According to Minister for Health Mary Harney, the economic situation in Ireland has "rapidly and seriously" deteriorated since the plan was announced in August. The Times reports that the vaccination plan would have cost an estimated 9.7 million euros, or about $12.7 million, per year. About 200 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in Ireland annually, and about 70 to 80 women die of the disease each year.

Harney said that expansion of Ireland's Cancer Control Programme would remain a priority and that 15 million euros, or about $19.6 million, has been allocated for the program. She also said the government is in the process of implementing its National Cervical Screening Programme -- Cervical Check -- which could cut mortality rates from cervical cancer "up to 80%." Harney said the program will provide no-cost pap smears in primary care settings for women ages 25 to 60.

Irish Cancer Society Chief Executive John McCormack said the decision to end the vaccination program was "very disappointing." McCormack acknowledged that it would be difficult to fund the program in the current economic environment but added that "this is a cancer prevention measure, and one euro's prevention is as good as two euros of cure" (Edwards/Wall, Irish Times, 11/5).

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