The Minister must change her mind

Dr James Reilly, Fine Gael spokesperson on health, writes that administering the HPV vaccine and protecting girls from cervical cancer must be a priority.
For doctors and for those people whose lives have been blighted by cervical cancer, it was an almost unthinkable breakthrough that we would some day have a vaccine that would prevent the disease. The marvellous breakthrough of the HPV vaccine, and its implications for the lives and well-being of women today, makes it unconscionable that we would not use it.

When the news came through that the Government was reneging on its promise to administer the vaccine to the teenage girls for whom it was developed, we couldn’t believe it. How was it possible to have such a life-saving vaccine and refuse to use it?
h4. Would save lives
Right now, Ireland has 28,000 girls who should be receiving the vaccination. The Health Information and Quality Authority has stated unequivocally that this vaccine would save 52 lives and prevent 111 cancers annually. This vaccine is available in 13 European countries and indeed in Northern Ireland, one hour from north Dublin.
As a politician, I fought the Minister on the issue. And lost. The Minister and the Government decided to stand fast on the worst possible decision. No vaccine.
As a politician, I could go no further. As a doctor, however, I could not let it rest there. I rang GP colleagues. They were equally worried. Worried enough to offer to give their time freely to administer it — if the vaccine could be funded.
Another friend, a solicitor, coincidentally told me how perturbed he was about the vaccination programme not being rolled out. He wondered aloud if there was anything he could do. We had a meeting in Rush. The end result of that meeting? Agreement to set up a fund. I said I’d kick in 20 per cent of my year’s salary. My legal friend said he, along with three other business friends, would match my contribution.
h4. Make a deal
With that amount of money in the kitty, I felt confident to talk to Sanofi Pasteur, which makes the vaccine Gardasil. They gave me a keen price. I bought 600 doses, which would allow us commence vaccinating 300 girls.
The next task was to select which children we could vaccinate. We decided we should look at treating all 12-year-old girls in 6th class in primary schools in Rush, Lusk, Skerries, Balbriggan, Balscadden, Bal-rothery and Loughshinny. We surveyed the schools and found the numbers were close. We could offer those girls the vaccine.
It’s unfortunate we can’t extend it to 13- and 14-year-olds in the secondary schools in the area, but we can’t. We’re limited in what we can do. But we’re still going to take a major preventive initiative in one community, which will have a life-saving end result.
Our core group – the group which, that night in Rush, set up the fund – found that once it was rolling, it gathered willing volunteers like a snowball gathers snow. All the doctors I contacted — 25 of them – without hesitation said yes, they’d give their time for free.
It was the same story with the nurses and with administrative staff. In some cases, we didn’t have to ask. They found us and offered their service.
h4. More volunteers
Nurses, for example, who work elsewhere in the community, also contacted us and volunteered their time. More businessmen have since come on board from the Balbriggan Chamber of Commerce, and the Balbriggan Lions Club has also contacted me. We are now looking at Swords, Malahide and Donabate and have been offered support from Fingal County Council with regard to premises.
Last Saturday between 2pm and 3pm, approximately 300 girls were vaccinated. We sent out information packs to parents via the schools. Those packs contained four items:
1) A leaflet on cervical cancer;
2) A leaflet on the vaccine – including data on possible but rare side effects;
3) A consent form;
4) An explanatory leaflet;
Parents could make informed decisions before the day. The whole project demonstrates what’s best about this country. At a time when everybody’s under pressure, people were still prepared to put their hands in their pockets to support this project. Doctors and nurses and support staff gave their time and expertise freely. Parents who wanted this for their children rang non-stop to find out about it.
The best thing that could happen as a result of this – apart from the clear long-term gain for the young girls involved – is the clear message to the Government and Minister: you must change your mind and find the few million required. It was made clear to me, when I got a good deal on 600 doses, that a much better deal would be available for 6,000 or 60,000 doses. It shouldn’t be left to community effort to do this, despite the fact that doctors I know in places as far apart as Cork and Mayo are now interested in doing something similar. This should be an integrated, coherent and comprehensive investment in the future health of a generation of women.
Over the past number of years, we have become consumed by the price of things. We’ve forgotten the value of things. Protecting our children against cancer must be a core value. I am saying to the Minister: it’s not too late. Change your mind and find the few million. If you do, I’ll be the first to congratulate you.