Young women in Wales could miss out on cancer vaccine
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday 9th October 2007
Young women in Wales could miss out on cancer vaccine
Cervical cancer charity Jo’s Trust is calling on Ministers to intervene and protect the lives of some 19,000 young women who may miss out on being vaccinated against this devastating cancer.
In a letter to Assembly Members, Jo’s Trust Director Pamela Morton says
Jo's Trust believes that with the political will it would be possible to offer immunisation to all 16 year old girls this school year – before they leave full time education – and then begin the main programme with a catch up campaign in the school year 2008/09. Such a move would put Wales ahead of the rest of the UK in demonstrating a visionary and responsible approach to saving the lives of young women.
There are currently 19000 16 year old girls in public funded education in Wales. If they are not vaccinated during this school year they will leave in July 2008, needlessly exposed to a virus which could impact on their future fertility and quality of life and at worst, cause their death.
Jo's Trust believe this to be a vital opportunity for the First Minister and the Health Minister to put Wales ahead of the rest of the UK in demonstrating a visionary and responsible approach to saving the lives of young Welsh women.
“I believe passionately that organised screening and vaccination programmes will prevent cervical cancer in future generations so beg the Welsh Assembly Government to seize this chance to do something of real and lasting value for women.”
In her letter to Assembly Members, Mrs Morton asks that they write to the Minister for Health and Social Services, Edwina Hart OBE AM, and ask her to push ahead with a vaccination programme for 16 year olds as a one-off initiative in this school year, and also asks her to instruct officials to develop a catch-up programme for other young women.
Note for Editors
Jo’s Trust is the UK’s only dedicated charity to support women with cervical cancer and their families. The Trust has consistently supported the introduction of universal vaccination against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types which can lead to the majority of cervical cancers.
On 20th June the Welsh Assembly Government accepted the recommendation of the UK Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI) that protection should be offered to all 12/13-year old girls.
On 19 September the Health Protection Agency (England and Wales) published new data showing that the vaccine currently available for use offers a cost effective protection against the causes of cervical cancer and genital warts. In addition, new data demonstrated that degree of cross-protection for ten further cancer causing HPV types beyond the four directly targeted by the first licensed vaccine, Gardasil.
On October 17th the JCVI will rule on a “catch up” programme for 14-16 year old girls not included in its first recommendation. It is unclear whether it will consider recommending that the vaccine is made available to women over 16.
Jo’s Trust www.jotrust.co.uk is a registered charity established in 1999 by James Maxwell in memory of his wife Jo who died of cervical cancer.
It is dedicated to women, their families and friends affected by pre-cancer and cancer of the cervix
Jo’s Trusts objectives are
- To raise the public profile and understanding of the causes of pre-cancer and cervical cancer and how they can be prevented and overcome
- To create greater awareness of the importance of having regular cervical screening
- To campaign for improved preventative, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for cervical cancer
Further information:
Pamela Morton, Director Jo’s Trust, 01327 341965 , 07980 720061
Marc Evans 029 2021 3629 / 07968 113754
Jo’s Trust
Weedon Villa
Everdon
Northants
NN11 3BQ
EMBARGO TAN DDYDD MAWRTH, 01.00 09/10/2007
DATGANIAD NEWYDDION
GALL 19,000 O FERCHED FETHU Â CHAEL Y CYFLE I’W BRECHU RHAG CANSER CEG Y GROTH
Mae Jo’s Trust, elusen canser ceg y groth, yn galw ar Weinidogion i weithredu i ddiogelu bywydau tua 19,000 o ferched ifainc a allasai golli’r cyfle i gael eu brechu yn erbyn y canser dinistriol hwn.
Mewn llythyr at Aelodau’r Cynulliad, meddai Pamela Morton, Cyfarwyddwr Jo’s Trust:
Cred Jo's Trust yw, gydag ewyllys gwleidyddol o blaid, y dylasai hi fod yn bosibl i gynnig y brechiad i bob merch 16 mlwydd oed yn y flwyddyn academaidd hon – cyn gadael addysg amser llawn – ac yna ddechrau ar y brif raglen gydag ymgyrch dal i fyny, yn y flwyddyn academaidd 2008/09. Buasai cam o’r fath yn gosod Cymru ar y blaen yn y DU yn enghraifft o ymroddiad blaengar a chyfrifol tuag at achub bywydau merched ifainc.
Ar hyn o bryd y mae tua 19,000 o ferched 16 mlwydd oed mewn addysg sector gyhoeddus yng Nghymru. Os na chant eu brechu yn ystod y flwyddyn academaidd hon, byddant yn gadael ym Mis Gorffennaf, mewn peryg dieisiau o wynebu firws all effeithio ar eu ffrwythlondeb ac ansawdd bywyd, ac ar y gwaethaf, peri eu tranc.
Mae Jo's Trust yn credu bod hwn yn gyfle anhepgorol i’r Prif Weinidog a’r Gweinidog Iechyd i osod Cymry ar y blaen i weddill y DU, gan ddangos ymroddiad blaengar a chyfrifol tuag at achub bywydau merched ifainc.
“Rwy’n credu’n frwd y bydd trefnu rhaglenni sgrinio a brechu yn atal canser ceg y groth mewn cenedlaethau a ddaw, felly rwy’n erfyn ar Lywodraeth y Cynulliad i gipio’r cyfle hwn i wneud rhywbeth o les gwirioneddol ac arhosol dros ferched.”
Yn ei llythyr at Aelodau’r Cynulliad, gofynna Mrs Morton iddynt ysgrifennu at y Gweinidog dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol, Edwina Hart OBE AC, gan ofyn iddi fwrw ymlaen gyda rhaglen frechu ar gyfer merched 16 blwydd oed, fel ymdrech unigryw ar gyfer y flwyddyn academaidd hon, a gan ofyn iddi hefyd i orchymyn i’r swyddogion i ddatblygu rhaglen dal i fyny ar gyfer merched eraill.
Nodiadau ar gyfer Golygyddion
Jo’s Trust yw unig elusen y DU sy’n gweithio’n unswydd i gynnig cymorth i ferched (a’u teuluoedd) sy’n dioddef canser ceg y groth. Mae’r Ymddiriedolaeth wedi bod yn gyson ei chefnogaeth dros gyflwyno rhaglen frechu cyffredinol yn erbyn mathau y Firws Papiloma Dynol (FPD) sy’n gallu peri mwyafrif canserau ceg y groth.
Ar Fehefin 20fed, derbyniodd Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru argymhelliad y Cydbwyllgor ar Chwistrellu a Brechu (CChB) y dylasid cynnig diogelu i bob merch 12/13 mlwydd oed.
Ar Fedi’r 19eg, cyhoeddodd yr Health Protection Agency (Cymru a Lloegr) wybodaeth newydd , yn profi bod y brechlyn sydd ar gael nawr ym medru diogelu’n gost-effeithlon yn erbyn yr hyn sy’n achosi canser ceg y groth a dafadennau gwenerol. Yn ogystal â hyn, mae gwybodaeth newydd hefyd wedi dangos bod mesur o ddiogelwch yn erbyn deg math arall o firws FPD, yn ogystal â’r pedwar math a dargedwyd, yn cael ei gynnig gan y brechlyn cyntaf i’w drwyddedu, sef Gardasil.
Ar Hydref 17eg, bydd y CChB yn argymell a ddylid lansio rhaglen “dal i fyny” ar gyfer merched 14-16 blwydd oed, ai peidio. Nid yw’n glir a fydd yn ystyried argymell bod y brechlyn yn cael ei gynnig i ferched dros 16, ai peidio.
DIWEDD
Mae Jo’s Trust www.jotrust.co.uk yn elusen gofrestredig a sefydlwyd ym 1999 gan James Maxwell er cof am ei wraig Jo, fu farw o ganser ceg y groth.
Mae’n gweithio er lles y merched, eu teuluoedd a’u ffrindiau, sydd yn cael eu heffeithio gan ganser ceg y groth a’r hyn sy’n gallu arwain ato.
Amcanion Jo’s Trust yw
- Codi ymwybyddiaeth a dealltwriaeth y cyhoedd am achosion canser ceg y groth a’r hyn sy’n arwain ato a sut mae modd eu hatal a’u trechu
- Hybu gwell ymwybyddiaeth o bwysigrwydd mynd am brawf ceg y groth yn rheolaidd
- Ymgyrchu dros ddulliau gwell i atal, darganfod a thrin canser ceg y groth
Jo’s Trust
Weedon Villa
Everdon
Northants
NN11 3BQ
Last updated: 20/04/2010
