Vaccine rumours do rounds

BY SARAH MOYES

Myths and legends about the effectiveness of the new cervical cancer vaccine are circulating around Auckland schools.

Gardasil helps protect women against human papillomavirus (HPV) which causes 70 percent of cervical cancer cases and 90 percent of genital warts.

The three dose vaccine is for women aged nine to 26, with girls who were in years 8, 12 and 13 this year receiving it for free through school programmes.

But experts say it is this very group of Auckland school girls who are spreading misconceptions, resulting in many choosing not to get the vaccine.

The Auckland University Immunisation Advisory Centre is conducting a study on the factors that contribute to minor injection site reactions.

Helen Petousis-Harris, director of research and senior lecturer in vaccinology at the centre, is working on the study for her thesis.

She says while trying to recruit girls, many myths and rumours have surfaced which seem to have had an effect on the uptake of the vaccine.

Some common misconceptions are that the vaccine is only effective if the girl has never been sexually active, they are too young to have it and it will make them infertile.

Mrs Petousis-Harris says girls also think the vaccine is being tested on them and they are "guinea pigs".

Although Health Ministry statistics show Auckland's uptake of the vaccine until July was similar to the rest of the country, Mrs Petousis-Harris says she is finding it difficult to enrol young women for the study.

A ministry spokeswoman says the Auckland District Health Board's rate was 56 percent, which is higher than the national rate of 52 percent. She says it is happy with the uptake so far, which has been slowly and steadily climbing.

"We recognise that this is a new immunisation for New Zealand and understand some parents might be taking a wait and see approach before deciding whether or not to choose HPV immunisation for their daughters," the spokeswoman says.

Mrs Petousis-Harris says hearing that myths and rumours about vaccines are circulating is always disappointing.

"Often people become worried that they may be true and choose not to vaccinate.

"It's really important that decisions around vaccination are based on fact not fiction."

The ministry says Gardasil has been extensively tested for safety and effectiveness.

"To date, more than 14 million people have chosen to have the HPV immunisation worldwide."

The ministry says the vaccination works best on girls and young women who haven't yet been exposed to the virus, meaning before they are sexually active.

But Gardasil is also recommended for young women who are already sexually active.

"This is because it is unlikely they will have been exposed to all the types of HPV the vaccine protects against," the ministry says.

It also wants to assure girls and young women that the vaccine will not make them infertile.

"The studies undertaken for Gardasil show the vaccine has no effect on fertility, the baby's wellbeing or pregnancy outcome."

Mrs Petousis-Harris is still looking for volunteers to take part in her study on Gardasil and minor injection site reactions.

For more information call 923-2078 or text 021-640-425.

- © Fairfax NZ News