Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing, Disabilities and Carers) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to have my contribution to the debate on the National Health Amendment (National HPV Vaccination Program Register) Bill 2007 incorporated in Hansard, but, in doing so, I want to recall the actions of the late Senator Jeannie Ferris and the work that she did in order to get 22 women senators in this place to sign the letter that went to the minister, making very strong representations on behalf of those 22 senators to register Gardasil on the schedule.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

I rise to speak on the National Health Amendment (National HPV Vaccination Program Register) Bill 2007.

The purpose of the Bill is to amend the National Health Act 1953 by inserting a new s.9BA, providing for the establishment of the National Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Program Register.

Labor played an important role in pushing the Government towards including Gardasil, the first vaccine available to treat some strains of HPV, on the National Immunisation Program (NIP). Naturally we will support these measures to establish the Register as they will enhance the efficiency of the National HPV Vaccination Program.

By way of background, HPV is a sexually transmitted infection, mostly affecting women 20 to 24 years of age. Almost all abnormal Pap smear results are caused by HPV. In 98 per cent of cases, HPV clears by itself. In rare cases, if the virus persists and if left undetected, it can lead to cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer kills around 200 women in Australia each year.

Gardasil, developed by former Australian of the Year Professor Ian Frazer, was the first vaccine available that protects against some of the cancer causing strains of HPV, notably HPV strains 16 and 18 which cause around 70 per cent of all cervical cancers.

Senators would recall that late last year CSL Limited, the Australian manufacturer and distributor of Gardasil, sought to alleviate the market cost of the vaccine—$460 for a course of three shots—to Australian families and applied to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Council (PBAC) for Gardasil to be listed on the National Immunisation Program.

The PBAC in November 2006 knocked back CSL’s original application. Unsurprisingly, there was an outcry from health stakeholders, patients groups and pharmaceutical companies.

I’m proud to say that Labor—including my colleague the former Shadow Minister for Health Julia Gillard—was vocal in demanding that PBAC’s decision be urgently reviewed.

Senators would recall that 22 women Senators—from all parties—signed a letter to the Health Minister Tony Abbott saying that while they recognised the careful analysis that the PBAC undertakes in making these decisions, they believed this particular decision required urgent review.

Eventually, after Prime Ministerial intervention, the Minister saw sense and requested PBAC to consider a new application from CSL, in which some of the main initial concerns raised by PBAC were addressed.

Gardasil was subsequently approved for inclusion on the NIP at an extraordinary PBAC meeting in late November and on 29 November 2006 the Government announced that it would fund free HPV vaccine for females in the 12 to 26 year old age group under NIP. The establishment of a HPV Register was also announced at that time.

Turning now to the legislation before us: this Bill inserts a new s.9BA into the National Health Act 1953 providing for the establishment of the National Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Program Register.

According to new subs 9BA(3), the purposes of the Register are to ensure the successful implementation of the National HPV Vaccination Program, and in doing so facilitate the establishment and maintenance of an electronic database of records for monitoring vaccination of participants in the HPV Program.

Broadly speaking, the establishment of the Register will assist in the administration of the vaccination program itself, provide a means to monitor participants in the Program and assist in monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of HPV vaccine in preventing certain cervical cancers.

It is intended that the HPV Register will collect information about the vaccination program, including personal identifying details, details about the doses given and the immunisation provider.

Labor acknowledges that there will be some in the community who will have privacy concerns around the collection of such data.

On this issue I note that the Bill provides for women or the parents of girls to have information removed from the Register following a request in writing—an “Opt Off” register which reflects the arrangements that have already been in place in Australian State/Territory-based Pap test registers. No information about sexual history will be sought or recorded, and the Bill precludes the release of personal information except to a vaccination provider or to prescribed bodies, either through regulation or as prescribed in the Health Insurance Act 1973.

Labor is satisfied on this basis that the Bill adequately addresses privacy concerns.

The Register will help to monitor the effectiveness of HPV vaccine in preventing certain cervical cancers by allowing for future cross referencing of data against Pap Smear and other cervical cytology or cervical cancer registers maintained by States and Territories.

The Register will also allow for the maintenance of records tracking the HPV vaccination status of eligible persons for the purposes of certifying the completion of the course of vaccination and establish mechanisms to advise eligible persons—or the parents or guardians of children—if doses of HPV vaccine have been missed or if booster doses are required in the future.

The Register will allow for the provision of information on new developments associated with the Program to vaccination providers, eligible persons and parents or guardians of children—promoting general health and well being.

And finally the legislation provides for the payment of general practitioners who enter information in the Register.

According to the Explanatory Memorandum there is no financial impact for the Bill. Funding for the Register was approved by the Prime Minister on 20 February 2007 as part of an additional $103.5 million over five years allocated for the implementation of the HPV Program. A total cost of $8-$11 million has been allocated to build and operate the Register over 3 years.

Labor supports this Bill. As I said earlier Labor was a strong proponent of Gardasil, to treat HPV, being put on the NIP so we are keen for its implementation to be as efficient as possible and its evaluation as thorough as possible. We support all measures that are aimed at the promotion of the health and well being of Australians, and which provide assurance to young women that the Australian Government is doing everything possible to help protect them against HPV.