Cervical cancer gets new vaccine

Cervical cancer was expecting a new vaccine which was recently approved by Health Canada and will be available in the pharmacies soon. It seems the government is also planning on providing free vaccinations to Grade 6 girls, in a effort to cut down the rate at which this disease is growing. Currently there are more than 150 new cases reported every year.

The government has planned to invest $300 million in this. This sure has raises suspicion because that way too much to be invested in a vaccine that just got approved. But since it is approved in 80 countries and the results of five-year clinical studies to back it up, I guess it is on the safe side.

But there’s also reason to be cautious.

Women need to be reminded that this vaccine isn’t a silver bullet – it will not protect from virus strains that cause 30 per cent of cervical cancer cases.

And that means Pap smear testing will remain a necessity.

Here’s where parents need to ensure they, and their children, are informed.

Government watchdogs are also needed to ensure that lobbying by pharmaceutical representatives doesn’t blind health professionals into making decisions that are in the best interest of all involved.