- 21 Dec 2007
The New Zealand Gynaecological Cancer Group (NZGCG) is an independent multidisciplinary association of health professionals involved in the care of women with gynaecological cancer. The NZGCG is committed to improving outcomes from gynaecological cancer for all New Zealand women. The NZGCG supports public funding of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccination and its inclusion in the vaccination schedule.
It is known that infection with HPV types 16 and18 underlie about 70% of cervical cancers and a high proportion of vulval, vaginal and anal cancers. Vaccination of unexposed individuals almost eliminates the risk of persistent HPV infection and associated pre-cancerous abnormalities. Due to the long natural history of cervical cancer the impact of vaccination on cancer rates will take many years to document.
Very large trials of the HPV vaccine have been performed and published. There is no doubt we have available a safe vaccine that will significantly reduce the incidence of cervical cancer and its precursors as well as other HPV related anogenital disease.