Doctors wouldn't use NHS jab on family

hc2d.co.uk

16th February 2011

According to a survey carried out by the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BAASH), the majority of specialists would not use the health service to give their daughters the Cervarix vaccine.

According to a survey carried out by the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BAASH), the majority of specialists would not use the health service to give their daughters the Cervarix vaccine.

The survey of 520 sexual health professionals in the UK found that 93% would give their daughters a private vaccine instead of the NHS one.

At the present time, girls are offered the Cervarix jab between the ages of 12-14 in order to help protect them against cervical cancer.

However the Cervarix vaccine has been the subject of debate as it does not offer protection against genital warts.

Another type of vaccine, known as Gardasil, offers protection against the virus which causes genital warts and has an effectiveness rate of 90%.

Cervarix is less expensive than Gardasil.

The survey also showed that of the doctors who had daughters vaccinated through the school vaccination programme, 61% had paid for them to be given the Gardasil vaccination instead.

A Department of Health spokesperson said the vaccine was cost-effective and protected against several strains of cervical cancer: “The department chose Cervarix for the national HPV immunisation programme against cervical cancer as it offered the NHS best overall value.

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