All Norwegian children are now offered the HPV vaccine when they enter the 7th grade. During these days, the health authorities will choose the supplier of the vaccine, which will be offered free of charge in the child vaccination program for the next two years. The case in summary • The government is considering expanding the child vaccination program to be able to cover more HPV-related diseases. • This could mean that Norwegian children can have access to a broader HPV vaccine, Gardasil 9, which also protects against several viruses and some sexually transmitted diseases, in two years at the earliest. • The current vaccine, Cervarix, is effective and works well to prevent cancer, but some parents choose to buy Gardasil 9 with their own money. • Senior doctor Andreas Hopland believes that Norway should switch to Gardasil 9 as soon as possible, both for the sake of the children and to reduce the societal costs associated with continued use of Cervarix. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Two pharmaceutical companies are competing for the contract: One vaccine is called Cervarix, which is also the standard vaccine today. The other is called Gardasil 9. Gardasil 9 Photo: Ingvild Edvardsen news has been in contact with parents and several experts, who believe that Norway should switch to Gardasil 9. This is HPV Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a large group of viruses that consists of make 200 different types. They can also cause cancer in the external genitalia, rectum and oral cavity/pharynx in both sexes. The most serious viruses can cause cervical cancer They can also cause genital warts on the body – this affects 10% Approximately 40 of the viruses are transmitted through sexual contact. Source: Professor Ole-Erik Iversen, UIO Both vaccines protect against cervical cancer, but Gardasil 9 also protects against several viruses and some sexually transmitted diseases that can be contracted from the HPV virus. Now the government wants to consider expanding the childhood vaccination programme. In this way, it becomes possible to take more care than whether the vaccine protects against cervical cancer, when choosing a vaccine. This is what Health and Care Minister Jan Christian Vestre (Ap) says: – We have an effective childhood vaccination program today. We have vaccines that are extremely effective in preventing cancer. Then there is still a medical development. Therefore, we would like to ask the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the Directorate for Medical Products to look into whether this program should be expanded to also cover other HPV-related diseases. This may mean that Gardasil 9 may be chosen as the standard HPV vaccine in Norway. But, not yet. Minister of Health and Care Jan Christian Vestre Photo: NTB Only in 2 years According to the government, the change can only take place at the next round of tenders, because tenders for the next two years have already been sent out. – You know that professionals have been asking for a long time for Gardasil 9 to be used as an HPV vaccine in the children’s vaccination programme. Will it be relevant now? – The ongoing tender round must be allowed to run its course. It is important to emphasize that the vaccine used today is extremely effective. It works very well for its purpose, which is to prevent cancer. Some parents pay themselves. Many have wanted a change. news has previously spoken to parents who would like to buy the vaccine with their own money, because they want to give the vaccine that provides the best protection against cervical cancer and other diseases that can be caused by the HPV virus. However, the Minister of Health does not fear that many parents will now buy the vaccine on their own: – Today there is a small number of parents who choose another vaccine for their children. They are of course entitled to that, but it is important to remember that the vaccination program offered by the state is good and covers very well against cancer diagnoses related to this virus. Too long to wait Chief Medical Officer Andreas Hopland has long thought that Norway should switch to the broader HPV vaccine Gardasil 9. He is happy about today’s news, but thinks the change should be faster: – It is gratifying that they are listening to the work we have done and listens to what is now emerging from new research. So we hope that this will now be introduced in this round of tenders. – So you think it’s too long to wait? – The change in vaccine should come as soon as possible, both out of consideration for the children who are to be vaccinated, but also out of consideration for the healthcare system and the societal costs associated with the continued use of Cervarix. Andreas Hopland is a senior physician in urology, at the Cancer Surgery Department Radiumhospitalet, OUS Photo: Private Secretary General of the Cancer Society, Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, says it is good that the Minister of Health finally sees the point of including socio-economic analyzes in the choice of HPV vaccine, but wonders why it takes so long to change: – We cannot understand why this work should take two years? Most countries in Europe have already made these assessments, and here in Norway, too, professionals have made good cost-benefit analyses. It is completely unbelievable if the government has now found itself in a situation where we have to wait for two new years to make a proper assessment of the HPV vaccines! Høgre has also become involved in the case. On Thursday this week, Erlend Svardal Bøe, who sits on the health and care committee, will ask questions to the health minister about what he thinks about professionals wanting a vaccine that provides broader protection than the one currently given. Erlend Svardal Bøe sits on the health and care committee for Høgre and has asked the Minister of Health about the matter. Photo: Rolf Petter Olaisen / news The answer is now clear: The Minister of Health will consider changing the vaccination programme: – I think it is good that the government has listened to what the Supreme Court has been saying for a long time. We see that we have an HPV vaccine that has broader protection against several HPV-related diseases. We have to take that seriously, and we cannot undermine the professional feedback we have now received. What would you say to parents who are in doubt whether they should give the free vaccine to their children, or whether they should buy it themselves for NOK 5,000? – It is a choice the parents have to make themselves, but it is a challenge when we see that the divorce is increasing. That is the divide we have been busy addressing. Unknown price tag The Storting has previously decided that the purpose of the vaccine is to prevent serious illness and death. And so does the vaccine that is being offered today. If Gardasil 9 is to be chosen, it will be more expensive than Cervarix in isolation. Professor of health law at the University of Oslo, Anne Kjersti Befring, has previously said that financial consideration must be assessed in a broader perspective than the purchase price: Anne Kjersti Befring, professor of health law (UiO) Photo: University of Oslo (UiO) – Benefit consideration and the risk of serious disease, is the argument that we offer the qualitatively best HPV vaccine that protects against several viruses. I think that Norway is a rich country and should prioritize women’s health more than we have done in recent years. This is precisely what the Minister of Health now wants to sort out: – So I hope that they can make an assessment fairly quickly of the socio-economic benefits of this, whether choosing other types of vaccination can reduce the need for screening, which also entails a burden and a cost , he says. Today’s vaccine does not cover everything Senior doctor in urology, Andreas Hopland says the Cervarix vaccine given today is a good vaccine, but that Gardasil 9 provides better protection. – It is important to think about all the other HPV-related cancers. Such as mouth and throat cancer, penile cancer and anal cancer. And also the most common disease caused by HPV, which is genital warts. Cervarix does not protect against genital warts (current vaccine type ed. note). Cervarix also does not provide protection against warts in the airways, concludes Hopland. Published 13.11.2024, at 15.10 Updated 13.11.2024, at 15.45
ttn-69
