Women's Health Action Trust

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Have your say

From time to time we seek your views on documents out for consultation. Either download the consultation documents and complete your own submission or send your views to christy@womens-health.org.nz before the due date and we will attempt to incorporate them into our submission.

The HPV "cervical cancer" vaccine

News articles

  • CDC Takes Closer Look at Gardasil and Paralysis - Click here to read the article

  • HPV vaccine a tough sell - The Canadian Press - March 2009

Informed choice and Immunisation programmes - Womens Health Action Update Article - Feb 2009

The school-based phase of the HPV (human papillomavirus) immunization programme which will provide Gardasil vaccine for girls from 12 years old is about to start.  Given the debate on the failure of informed consent processes with the MeNZB immunisation programme, and a troubling start to the national HPV immunization programme launched in September last year, it is timely to raise concerns about the fate of informed choice and consent in the school-based phase of the programme.  Christy Parker looks at some of the ethical issues surrounding mass immunization programmes targeting children and young people and argues that the principles of informed choice and consent must not be compromised by population health objectives.

Click here to read the full article including references

Gardasil Side Effects - Feb 2009

Concerns about the safety of Gardasil (the HPV "cervical cancer" vaccine) are growing following recent reports from both Australia and the United States of serious adverse effects in young women.  The United States based vaccine watchdog, the National Vaccine Information Center has just realeased an analysis of the reported Gardasil side effects in the United States, comparing these side effects with those of another commom childhood vaccine for meningococcal.  For more information see the National Vaccine Information Center website: http://www.nvic.org/Vaccines-and-Diseases/hpv.aspx or click here.

NZ Herald commentary: 'When a shot in the arm's no silver bullet', March 2009

To read Tapu Misa's opinon piece on Gardasil click here.

Cartwright anniversary seminar: 'Gardasil - Cartwright's Daughter?'

5th August 2008

Twenty years ago New Zealand reeled at revelations over the treatment of women with cervical abnormalities at National Women's Hospital. Today we know a lot more about the disease and its treatment. We also have a 'miracle' vaccine and a national programme to deliver it to our young women.  What were the issues raised by Cartwright and how much have we learned about patient rights and informed consent in the last 20 years?

Lynda Williams, the first patient advocate at National Women's Hospital will give us a provocative and entertaining tour of the issues.

Read the paper from the August 2008 event

The potential impact of mass HPV vaccination on cervical cancer prevention: population and clinical perspectives, July 2007

Dr Hazel Lewis, Clinical Leader of the National Cervical Screening Programme considers how the HPV immunisation programme may impact upon the life saving success of the National Cervical Screening Programme.  Click here for her paper.