PRESS RELEASE

MLAs urged to protect lives of young women

At a reception in Stormont today, Cervical Cancer Charity Jo’s Trust called on the Northern Ireland Assembly to intervene to protect the lives of more than 10,000 young women who may miss out on vaccination against the disease.

In her speech and in a letter to Assembly Members, Jo’s Trust Director Pamela Morton says,

“I believe that, with the political will, it is feasible to provide immunisation for all 16 year old girls this school year – before they leave full time education – and then begin the main programme with a catch up campaign in the school year 2008/09. Such a move would put Northern Ireland ahead of the rest of the UK in demonstrating a visionary and responsible approach to saving the lives of young women.

“I believe this is an unrivalled opportunity to protect thousands of women from a horrible disease, and would be a logical decision in the light of the overwhelming support for vaccination that I have experienced from Assembly Members.

Mrs Morton is asking for MLAs to write to the Minister for Health, Michael McGimpsey, asking him to push ahead with a vaccination programme for this year’s 16 year olds as a one-off initiative, and also asking him to instruct officials to develop a catch-up programme for other young women.

Note to Editors
Jo’s Trust is the only dedicated charity in these islands to support women with cervical cancer and their families. The Trust has consistently supported the introduction of universal vaccination against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types which can lead to the majority of cervical cancers.

On 20th June Michael McGimpsey, the Health Minister immediately welcomed the recommendation of the UK Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI) that protection should be offered to all 12/13-year old girls. He said that he wanted to:

‘..ensure that the [vaccination] programme is implemented as quickly and as effectively as possible’

On 19 September the UK Health Protection Agency (England & Wales) published new data showing that the vaccine currently available for use (Gardasil) offers a cost effective protection against the causes of cervical cancer and genital warts. In addition new data demonstrated that degree of cross-protection for ten further cancer causing HPV types beyond the four directly targeted by the first licensed vaccine, Gardasil.

On October 17th the JCVI will rule on a “catch up” programme for 14-16 year old girls not included in its first recommendation. It is unclear whether it will consider recommending that the vaccine is made available to women over 16.

Jo’s Trust www.jotrust.co.uk is a registered charity established in 1999 by James Maxwell in memory of his wife Jo who died of cervical cancer.

It is dedicated to women, their families and friends affected by pre-cancer and cancer of the cervix

Jo’s Trusts objectives are
• To raise the public profile and understanding of the causes of pre-cancer and cervical cancer and how they can be prevented and overcome
• To create greater awareness of the importance of having regular cervical screening
• To campaign for improved preventative, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for cervical cancer

Further information:

Pamela Morton, Director Jo’s Trust, 01327 341965, 07980 720061

Neil Johnston 028 9066 1006