Over Half Of Romanian Parents Agree To Vaccinate Daughters Against Cervical Cancer

"According to the poll, 52% of respondents said they agree to have their daughters vaccinated, 90% said the HPV vaccine should be free within the national vaccination program and 24% said they need more information before reaching a decision," said Alexandru Rafila, member of the committee coordinating the information campaign.

Romania starts a cervical cancer vaccination campaign on November 23. The first stage of the program lasts until November 30 and targets a first dose of the vaccine for sixth and seventh graders. The campaign will be resumed in January and may next year, said Amalia Canton, general manager with the Health Ministry.

"Vaccination is not mandatory but it is strongly recommended by national and international medical authorities because it is very efficient in preventing this disease that kills over 2,000 women in Romania each year," said Rafila.

The ministry signed a contract in 2008 to buy 330,000 doses of vaccine for EUR23 million and estimates that would be enough to vaccinate half of the 220,000 girls aged up to 14. The vaccine bought expires in September 2010, Rafila also said, adding the ministry will place orders for more doses if needed.

Minisry state secretary Cristian Anton Irimie said HPV vaccination and regular screenings can prevent 95% of cervical cancer cases. He said Romania has over 40,000 cervical cancer patients and over 3,000 new cases are reported each year. He added more than 2,000 women in Romania die annually of cervical cancer.

"Vaccination against HPV is the chance at life we give our daughters and, because parents have understood the importance of vaccination, we have decided to resume the vaccination campaign," Irimie said.

When the campaign was first started, in 2008, the ministry used 8,000 doses to vaccinate about 2,300 girls who accepted to be vaccinated.

The three doses of vaccine required costs 1,600 to 1,800 lei (EUR1=RON4.2952) in drugstores and the ministry is giving it away for free.

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