Boys to be offered vaccine against cancer-causing virus as one of new NI-wide initiatives to tackle disease
Better test for bowel cancer also introduced
Two new potentially life-saving initiatives were unveiled today (Monday) in the fight against cancer across Northern Ireland.
One scheme involves 12 and 13-year-old boys being offered a vaccine to protect them against a virus linked to the disease while the other is a better test for bowel cancer.
From September the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine will be given to all Year Nine boys throughout the province.
It follows what health chiefs says is “a very high proportion of all women under 25” already having a vaccine against the HPV virus since the programme was first introduced in 2008.
And they say by extending the programme such cancers could be eradicated.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride said:
“We can now look forward to a future where we can be even more confident that we will reduce cervical cancer and other HPV related cancers that affect both men and women.
“This is an effective vaccine against a particularly harmful virus. I would encourage all parents to take up this offer and ensure their boys and girls are vaccinated.”
In addition, it has been decided that the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) will replace the Faecal Occult Blood (FOB) test as the primary screening test for bowel cancer in the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) in Northern Ireland.
Department of Health Permanent Secretary Richard Pengelly said: “The evidence is clear in both cases that very significant health protection benefits can be achieved for our citizens.
“Both decisions have been under active consideration for some time and can now be made, following confirmation of the Department’s budget allocation for this year.”
The new FIT bowel screening test will be introduced from early 2020.
Evidence has shown there is increased patient acceptability of the FIT screening test and increased uptake of screening will mean even more lives can be saved.
Every year in Northern Ireland there are around 1100 new cases of bowel cancer, with over 400 deaths. The Bowel Cancer Screening Programme aims to pick up bowel cancer at an early stage, when treatment can be 90% successful.
Dr McBride commented: “The existing test for bowel cancer has proved hugely valuable in detecting cancer early and it is therefore essential that people invited to participate in the Northern Ireland Bowel Screening programme from 60-74 continue to complete and return the test they receive in the post until the new test is available."