Privacy authority joins inquiry

BY JANINE RANKIN

The Privacy Commission will investigate how schools released schoolgirls' contact details as part of the HPV (human papilloma virus) vaccination programme.

The programme's planned to continue next year to reach another three year groups, and in future will be routine for Year 8s.

Assistant privacy commissioner Katrine Evans said getting the process right for the future is important.

"Letting parents and students know exactly what will happen with their information is vital.

"If people lose confidence that their information will be properly handled, they're less likely to participate in this very important public health programme."

Mrs Evans said the commission wanted to find out exactly what happened with the release of school roll data, and why there appeared to be such a variety of approaches taken by schools.

Schools that decided to provide contact information directly from their rolls to the school-based vaccination system, to enable follow-up when vaccination consent forms weren't returned, would be under particular scrutiny.

The commission advised that information release was OK to support a public health issue of considerable importance so long as parents knew about it in advance.

"We will be asking whether schools had the opportunity to properly notify parents that's what they would do, and if they didn't, then why not?"

In the MidCentral Health district the formal request for roll information went out in the last week of January, with a request it be provided by February 13.

The review has been welcomed by Federation of Women's Health Councils' co-convenor, Feilding-based Barbara Robson, after comparing notes with groups around the country. She notes, and Mrs Evans agrees, parents and students have no legal obligation to return consent forms at all.

Meanwhile, the Government will investigate claims that coercion and a controversial, fear-inducing DVD have been used as part of the HPV vaccination campaign.

Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson said yesterday he's asked the Health Ministry to act promptly on the concerns.

And Health Ministry chief advisor for population health Greg Simmons has agreed to review information resources and crack down on any coercive behaviour that's discovered.

Mr Paterson wants the investigation to look at whether teachers, nurses and others have been over zealous in the way they've urged the return of consent forms.

"My concern is that the information schoolgirls and their parents received enables them to make an informed choice.

"I share concerns that the information should be balanced, and it is particularly important that it is not presented in a coercive way."

Women's Health Action Trust and the Federation of Women's Health Councils have demanded the withdrawal of the Health Ministry DVD promoting the Gardasil vaccine.

Council director Jo Fitzpatrick said the case study of a woman diagnosed with advanced disease at the age of 27 used fear to influence young people.

It was flawed because it gave the impression that without vaccination, there was no way women could protect themselves against cervical cancer.

The DVD failed to mention New Zealand had a "world class" cervical screening programme, she said, and that regular smears would continue to be essential as the vaccine would not prevent all cancers.

Screening reaches about 71 per cent of New Zealand women aged 20 to 70, slashes a woman's chances of dying from cervical cancer by 90 per cent, has halved its incidence, cut mortality by 65 per cent, and picks up 80 per cent of precancerous, abnormal cell changes on the first screen.

Dr Simmons said the ministry viewed coercion as unacceptable practice and would be concerned to learn of this taking place.

He urged people to contact their local District Health Board if they believed it was happening.

"The ministry supports full and frank disclosure of all available information to parents and young women considering the HPV vaccine."

Dr Simmons said the way the immunisation programme was being described in New Zealand was similar to how other countries like Australia and the United Kingdom promoted their HPV programmes.

It was a message that the vaccine protects against infection with the types of HPV that cause 70 per cent of cervical cancers.

 

- © Fairfax NZ News