'A disease of the past': Twenty years on from Gardasil cancer vaccine
Twenty years on from the launch of the world-first vaccine against cervical cancer, Australian Immunisation Register data shows HPV vaccine coverage for girls and girls is dropping.
Twenty years after Australia launched the Gardasil vaccine, the world's first vaccine against cervical cancer, coverage of the HPV vaccine for girls and boys is declining. Over 800 million doses have been administered globally, potentially saving tens of millions of lives by the start of the next century. The vaccine, developed by Ian Frazer and Jian Zhou, protects against strains of HPV that cause most cervical and other cancers.
Despite Australia's progress, Professor Nigel McMillan predicts cervical cancer will soon be a rare disease in the country. Public health experts emphasize the vaccine's effectiveness and safety, yet coverage remains a concern, dropping below 80% for both girls and boys.
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