Britain:All girls aged 12 to 13 in England will be vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes most cervical cancer cases, the British government said yesterday.
From next autumn girls will receive three injections at school over six months in a move that could save up to 400 lives each year, the department of health said.
Teenagers up to the age 18 will also be vaccinated during a one-off programme lasting two years. The scheme is also expected to be adopted in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Cervical cancer kills about 800 women each year in England and up to 300,000 globally, mostly in developing countries.
Women must still take regular smear tests to detect early signs of the cancer, which has a good cure rate if diagnosed early. "It is critical that people do not see this vaccine as a replacement for the screening programme," said director of immunisation David Salisbury. The vaccine is given to young girls because they are ineffective once a patient is already infected.
- (Reuters)