THE new cervical cancer jab is believed to be behind a huge jump in the number of women and girls suffering bad reactions to vaccinations in NSW.
The first annual State vaccination statistics to include Gardasil reveal
a 1600 per cent surge in reported adverse side-effects among young females who were immunised last year. These include allergic reactions, collapsing, dizziness, nausea and unexplained illnesses.
New female cases pushed the total adverse reactions to immunisations last year to the highest on record. NSW Health says it is monitoring the situation closely, but said the results did not outweigh the benefits of the vaccination program.
Australian-developed Gardasil vaccinations were introduced to girls aged 12 and 13 through federal Government-funded school programs last year. They are also offered free to 13- to 18-year-olds as part of a catch-up program, and to young women aged up to 26.
"One of the reasons we are very careful to track immunisations is that a trial is one thing but we also want to check what happens in the real world," Dr Jeremy McAnulty, NSW Health's director of communicable diseases, said. "All vaccines have some usually very minor side-effects but we are keen to see if some major ones emerge."
However, Dr McAnulty stressed the benefits of the vaccine in preventing human papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to cervical cancer, were overwhelming.
Most of the adverse reactions were recorded by nurses during school-based immunisations and none were life-threatening, he said. NSW Public Health data reveals that there were 224 official reports of adverse events linked to immunisation last year -- 133 of which were in females aged between five and 24.
In comparison, there were only 70 in total the previous year, with just eight recorded in young females. This is a 1662.5 per cent rise in reactions among young women. The statistics do not break down which vaccinations cause the side-effects. But nationally, there have been 1013 reports of adverse side-effects from Gardasil from doctors, parents and patients to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
But the real number of reactions may be significantly higher, according to Women's Forum Australia director and health researcher Melinda Tankard Reist. She said: "I am not surprised that there has been an increase in reported reactions.
"Most adverse reactions are never reported so you have to multiply it by many times (to get the real figure).
"The health department and the Health Minister really need to have a closer look at this vaccine and a closer look at side-effects."
Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the Government planned to continue the cervical cancer immunisation program.
"There are stringent safeguards in place to ensure vaccines in Australia are tested for safety by medical experts," she said.
According to the TGA, 3.7 million doses of Gardasil have been administered in Australia and, since October last year, the overall rate of adverse reactions has been decreasing.
Dr Rachel David, director of public affairs at pharmaceutical company CSL, insisted its vaccination was safe but said the company was also monitoring any adverse reactions.
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