NB 103
Jan. 29, 2008
SAINT JOHN (CNB) - A cervical cancer vaccination and screening strategy will be part of the new provincial health plan, Health Minister Michael Murphy announced today.
"A comprehensive provincial cervical cancer prevention and screening strategy has the potential to drastically reduce this form of cancer in the province," Murphy said. "That's why we have made this strategy one of the more than 100 initiatives in our soon-to-be-released health plan."
Murphy said that the province will embark on a school-based vaccination program beginning in the 2008-09 school year to protect girls against human papillomavirus (HPV). The HPV vaccine has been shown to prevent strains of human papillomavirus that are responsible for 70 per cent of all cervical cancer cases in Canada.
The vaccine has been approved by Health Canada.
"This is the first vaccine in history that can prevent cancer," Murphy said. "We want to make sure that New Brunswick women have access to this protection, and will do so by adding it to our publicly funded vaccination and immunization programs."
The HPV vaccine will be administered to girls at the grades 7 and 8 levels in the first year, after which it will be administered in Grade 7 only.
HPV is spread through sexual activity, and Public Health experts advise vaccinating at an early age to provide maximum protection against the virus.
"Health Department staff in Public Health and the New Brunswick Cancer Network advised that the new vaccination program be accompanied by a provincial cervical cancer screening program," Murphy said. "Therefore, our provincial health plan will also include the establishment of such a program. Under it, all New Brunswick women will be encouraged to have a pap test every three years after two normal tests."
Murphy said that the importance of ongoing cervical cancer screening cannot be overstated.
"Over the past 30 years we have witnessed a steady decline in cervical cancer cases in our country as a result of more women undergoing a regular pap test," Murphy said. "So we are going to continue to promote the need for screening along with the introduction of the HPV vaccine program."
At present, the number of New Brunswick women who have a regular pap test is largely a reflection of their individual desire, the encouragement of their physicians, or a combination of both.
"There is no organized provincial program to promote cervical cancer screening, and there are gaps in the system for women who do not have regular access to a physician," Murphy said. "Cancer experts recognize that an organized, population-based provincial screening program is an important tool in reducing mortality from cervical cancer, especially when combined with a vaccination program."
The key elements of the screening program will include better organization and access. A pilot program in which nurses in four Regional Health Authorities received training to perform pap tests will be expanded across the province.
"This will be especially beneficial to women who do not have regular access to a family doctor," Murphy said.
E-health will also be part of the program.
"We'll develop a database of women age 18 to 69, which is the target population for cervical cancer screening," Murphy said. "With this information and the e-health system, we'll be able to notify women of the need for a pap test - much as we do now for breast cancer screening - and we'll be able to maintain a screening history and the results of related diagnostic testing."
Cancer experts will also develop guidelines for screening, as well as training standards for staff involved in screening.
Murphy said that educational programs for women and health-care providers, and recruitment initiatives for under-screened and unscreened women, will also be part of the program.
At present, there are about 40 new cases of cervical cancer and 15 deaths each year in New Brunswick.
The cervical cancer strategy will represent an investment by government of $5.8 million in 2008-09 for the new vaccination and enhanced screening programs.
08/01/29
MEDIA CONTACT: Johanne Le Blanc, communications, Health, 506-457-3513.
08/01/29
