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re: big news...here it is NEWS RELEASE

11 SEPTEMBER 2006

GARDASIL®, WORLD’S FIRST CERVICAL CANCER VACCINE NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW ZEALAND

The chance for young women to change their future

New Zealand women now have access to GARDASIL, the world’s first cervical cancer vaccine.
CSL NZ Ltd General Manager David Bowler says following the earlier-than-anticipated registration by Medsafe, they have now been able to bring in to New Zealand sufficient product to meet the expected demand.

“There has already been a tremendous amount of interest in GARDASIL, especially from the medical profession, with more than 1,500 health professionals contacting us to learn more about the vaccine and when they will be able to offer it to their patients,” he says.

Medsafe has registered GARDASIL [Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (Types 6,11,16 18) Recombinant Vaccine] as a vaccine for all girls and young women aged 9 to 26 to prevent cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancer and pre-cancerous lesions, caused by HPV (human papillomavirus) types 16 and 18, and to prevent pre-cancerous lesions and genital warts caused by HPV types 6 and 11.

GARDASIL has been hailed as one of the most significant advances in women’s health in recent years. In worldwide clinical trials involving over 20,000 women, GARDASIL was proven to be 100% effective against HPV types 16 and 18. Together HPV 16 and 18 cause approximately 70% of cervical cancer cases1.

Around 180 New Zealand women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, and a third of them die2. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer-related cause of death among women worldwide, but the eighth in New Zealand largely due to the cervical screening programme.

Auckland Gynecology Oncologist Dr Ai Ling Tan says that a the preventative vaccine, combined with regular pap smear tests is a major leap forward in eradicating cervical cancer.

“It’s also not just about preventing the 60 deaths a year from cervical cancer, but also preventing thousands of women from the worry and disruption of being diagnosed and treated with pre-cancers caused by HPV types 16, 18, 6 and 11” she says.

GARDASIL is administered in a course of three vaccinations, over a six month period, and the total course costs approximately $450.

“New Zealand women can now have protection against 70% of cervical cancers and a significant number of pre-cancerous lesions. Combining vaccination with GARDASIL and regular pap smear tests gives young women the chance to change their future,” adds David Bowler.

Dr Min Lo, Sexual Health Physician welcomes the introduction of the HPV vaccine.

“The ability to prevent precancerous lesions is a significant advancement for women’s health. GARDASIL also has the added benefit of preventing genital warts which causes a significant amount of distress for patient.” she says.


In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP) unanimously recommended GARDASIL for all young women aged 11 to 26, regardless of whether they have or previously had an abnormal Pap test, a positive HPV test or genital warts. The uptake in the US has been extremely high.