Cervical Cancer Control In Developing World Feasible For First Time

Main Category: Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Article Date: 31 Aug 2008 - 8:00 PDT

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Vaccine monograph unveiled

• A series of papers presenting the best global thinking on cervical cancer prevention with vaccination and screening, as well as fresh regional and national research and insights to guide governments and donors in building plans, was unveiled Thursday at the World Cancer Congress of the International Union Against Cancer in Geneva.
  
  
• The monograph, published in the journal Vaccine, presents the first broad analysis of the cost-effectiveness of introducing HPV vaccination and new screening methods into the hardest hit regions of the world - Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Vaccine monograph is available for download using the following links:

General Overview

Latin America & Caribbean Report

Asia Pacific Report

Key findings

• In the Asia-Pacific region vaccination would be cost-effective - even in the poorest countries - if the cost per vaccinated girl was between $10-$25.
  
  
• For Latin America and the Caribbean, the cost per vaccinated girl, including delivery and logistics costs, would have to be less than $25 to be cost-effective for all countries.
  
  
• Updated evidence is presented on the efficacy of various new screening alternatives and how they compare to pap smear testing, as well as a discussion of innovative funding mechanisms for bringing HPV vaccination to poor countries, such as the sale of highly-rated vaccine bonds to investors.
  
  
• The price of the vaccine and the support for massive vaccination campaigns is one of the biggest barriers for the moment. Several other challenges lie ahead including generating political support, cultural acceptability of the vaccine, and monitoring the circulating virus.
  
  
• Uncertainties that may affect the success of vaccination programmes include the duration of protection and whether booster shots might be needed, and whether the vaccines will be as effective in girls whose immune systems are suppressed by either malnutrition or other chronic infections such as HIV or malaria.

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Further information

A live webinar was broadcast at 15:00 CET on Thursday 28 August 2008. The webinar last for 75 minutes which includes a minimum of 15 minutes for questions. It is available for download following the webinar. Those interested can register here.

Speakers include:

• Dr F Xavier Bosch, Chief of the Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme (CERP) and Chief of International Affairs at the Catalan Institute of Oncology. Professor Bosch is the coordinator of the monograph
  
  
• Daisy Mafubelu, Assistant Director-General - Family and Community Health, World Health Organization
  
  
• Dr Harald zur Hausen, Professor Emeritus of the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg, Germany and discoverer of human papilloma virus (HPV) as the cause of cervical cancer
  
  
• Isabel Mortara, executive director of the International Union Against Cancer

Quotes

"Efforts are needed now to adapt the current price of the vaccines so they meet what individual countries can afford; the solution may be tiered pricing according to gross national income per capita and according to the scale of country efforts."

Professor Francesc Xavier Bosch of the Catalan Institute of Oncology in Barcelona, Coordinator of the monograph.

"This new era of cervical cancer presents many opportunities and challenges ahead. There is now realistic hope for controlling this disease where the toll is the highest and we have to seize this opportunity. We in the cervical cancer community will be stepping up all our efforts to help developing countries get this disease under control,"

Isabel Mortara, executive director of the International Union Against Cancer

Source: Emma Ross
International Union Against Cancer In

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