Brett Mason (Queensland, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McLucas for her gracious contribution. The National Health Amendment (National HPV Vaccination Program Register) Bill 2007 amends the National Health Act 1953 to insert provisions for the establishment and maintenance of a Human Papillomavirus Register to complement the implementation of the National HPV Vaccination Program. The register will collect personal and vaccination information about people who receive the HPV vaccine under the HPV program, with a view to evaluating, in the long term, the effectiveness of the vaccine in reducing the incidence of cervical cancer. The HPV register will also facilitate a number of other functions relating to the HPV program, and the payment of an administrative fee to general practitioners who provide information to the register.

In summary, this amendment will ensure the collection of information which, in addition to evaluating the success of the HPV program in reducing cervical cancer, will also inform the policy direction of the HPV program and government expenditure in the future. It will also benefit individuals participating in the HPV program by providing them with information about their vaccination status, sending notifications when doses of vaccine have been missed, and facilitating a recall system for participants in the event that booster doses are required at a future time. I commend the bill to the Senate.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.