THE Scottish Government has been urged to
review its cervical cancer vaccination
programme and follow the lead of Germany,
which ordered experts to show hard evidence
the jab is effective and safe in the
long-term.
The
International Coalition of Advocates for the
People (ICAP) – a group raising concerns
of the safety and efficacy of Cervarix and
its rival, Gardasil, to health ministers and
researchers worldwide – want a thorough
investigation into the vaccine.
The
organisation successfully lobbied the health
minister and medical experts in Germany. Now
the country's Federal Joint Committee, which
decides on the formula for the country's
social insurance system, has called for all
recommendations on Cervarix and Gardasil to
be revised and demanded a new report based
on detailed evidence.
Yesterday, The Scotsman revealed more than
150 girls in Scotland have suffered adverse
reactions after receiving the vaccine, which
was introduced last autumn and is being
given to all girls in S2 and to girls in S5
and S6 in a catch-up programme.
Campaigners are concerned about the
long-term effectiveness and safety of the
vaccine. Six families in England are taking
legal action against the maker of Cervarix,
GlaxoSmithKline, after serious side-effects
they claim are linked to the vaccine.
Freda Birrell and Christina England from
ICAP said: "We would welcome a decision by
the Scottish and UK governments to put a
hold on Cervarix and to carry out a similar
thorough investigation as is now being
carried out in Germany.
"GlaxoSmithKline admits 'there are no data
on the use of Cervarix in subjects with
impaired immune responsiveness', that
'duration of protection has not been fully
established' and 'Timing and need of booster
has not been investigated.'
"So why was a vaccination programme in
Scotland and England introduced before this
was researched?"
The review in Germany came after a team of
13 experts studied all publicly available
data on the effectiveness of both vaccines
on the market and found the evidence
lacking.
Dr Ansgar Gerhardus, a public health expert
from the University of Bielefeld in
north-west Germany, was part of the team.
He said: "We did not go into further details
regarding Cervarix, simply because the
evidence base was even more sparse than for
Gardasil.
"We did not find any results on the overall
protection against pre-cancerous lesions –
which would be a relevant endpoint (ie, a
way of judging a link to cervical cancer]
for individual girls as well as from a
public-health perspective. Only in a recent
study have selected data for Cervarix been
presented. However, many relevant data are
still missing, so no conclusions should be
drawn until they are made available."
This statement has not been scientifically
challenged.
ICAP added: "We believe the health and
welfare of young people is of paramount
importance and would welcome a delay in the
Cervarix vaccination programme until all
avenues are thoroughly investigated."
The Scottish Government and GlaxoSmithKline
insist detailed tests were carried out and
that any reactions to Cervarix are within
the range expected of a mass vaccination
programme.