Melbourne medical director urges Australia to adopt vaccine reported to slash cervical cancer

A MELBOURNE medical director has urged Australian authorities to adopt a new vaccine reported to slash cervical cancer rates.

A Melbourne medical director has urged Australian authorities to adopt a new vaccine reported to slash cervical cancer rates. Picture: iStock

A MELBOURNE medical director has urged Australian authorities to adopt a new vaccine reported to slash cervical cancer rates.

A global clinical trial has shown that the new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can reduce the rate of the cancer by a further 23 per cent, compared to the current Gardasil treatment.

The trial was based on results from 14,000 women between 16 to 26 years of age, across 18 countries, who received either the new Gardasil 9 vaccine or original Gardasil.

VACCINE COULD ALMOST ERADICATE CERVICAL CANCER, EXPERTS SAY

Observations of precancerous cell changes six years later proved the new vaccine more effective, researchers said.

Royal Women’s Hospital Centre for Infectious Diseases Professor Suzanne Garland has implored government to approve the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Committee’s recommendation to switch to the new substitute.

“The eradication of cervical cancer is now firmly within our sights,” Professor Garland said.

“This new vaccine protects against the same types of the virus as the existing Gardasil, plus an additional five most common strains of HPV.”

America has changed to the vaccine already.