AMA President Dr Mukesh Haikerwal speaking to ABC Radio Canberra re Gardasil

DR HAIKERWAL: Hi. Good morning, thank you.

ALEX SLOAN: What's your response to this?

DR HAIKERWAL: Well, we think it's a very important move by government and we congratulate the PBAC for maintaining the process and ensuring that Gardasil meets the guidelines that are required for it to be available. And then, of course, to congratulate government for their degree into the recommendation of PBAC. It will be available to Australian women. It will make a big difference in terms of reducing the rates of cervical cancer. However, it's an additional platform, an additional plank of security to the current cervical screening process.

ALEX SLOAN: It's reported that the vaccine prevents women from catching the viruses, the papilloma viruses, that cause 70% of cervical cancers. Is that correct?

DR HAIKERWAL: That's right, ... it protects against four human wart viruses, two of which add up to about 70% of those that cause the cervical cancer in women. And so it's a significant additional comfort, I suppose, an additional way of reducing the risk and the incidence of cervical cancer.

ALEX SLOAN: Now I believe the school vaccination program is expected to begin in April next year for girls aged 12 to 13 and then there will be a catch-up program through schools for girls aged between 13 and 18.

DR HAIKERWAL: The rollout is obviously intended to get as many young women as possible as quickly as they can. Obviously, the process takes time, hence April. But, certainly we, the profession, will work with making sure people are aware of this, take advantage of it and get their injections in a timely manner.

ALEX SLOAN: And it's... it would seem that this has been particularly pushed by the Prime Minister because the health minister, you know, earlier was saying, look it's impossible to get this on the schedule next year. So what do you make of that intervention by the Prime Minister?

DR HAIKERWAL: Well, what we've seen is the Prime Minister making an announcement that - assuming the PBAC agrees - this will come onto the system. The PBAC has agreed. The function of the PBAC has not been subverted. Australians can continue to have the benefits of a system that gives access to all the right medications and vaccines as they become available as long as they meet criteria. Those criteria have not been circumvented and PBAC continues to drive the agenda, which is very important for our long-term future and our long-term access to medication.

ALEX SLOAN: Because the initial estimate of $600 million saw the proposal rejected by the PBAC.

DR HAIKERWAL: Well, that's right. I mean, there's more than just (cost), of course. And, of course, we as consumers, we as medical professionals don't get all the information that goes to PBAC on which they base their decision. We didn't know why it was rejected and all we heard was the crying from the pharmaceutical manufacturer.

ALEX SLOAN: Mmm.

DR HAIKERWAL: What we've seen is a reconsideration of the data with new data, together with new pricing arrangements and all together, that's been considered to make it an intervention that is deemed to fit the criteria to allow it to come onto our system.

ALEX SLOAN: Apparently the program's going to cost $436 million.

DR HAIKERWAL: It'll cost $436 million over the next few years and certainly will be a significant investment in health. We welcome that, but we do emphasise it's got to be in conjunction with an ongoing, in fact we hope, a reinforced cervical screening program, because women 45-plus tend to miss out on those and tend not to get those...

ALEX SLOAN: So screening will continue?

DR HAIKERWAL: Screening has to continue because there are still cervical cancers that are … spotted on cervical screening that are not caused by these two wart viruses that we're protecting against.

ALEX SLOAN: It's interested me, because the focus is on vaccinating young girls, and I've often had the question put to me, but what about boys?

DR HAIKERWAL: Well, there was always the discussion, should it be just the girls? Should it be girls and boys? When we're talking about the age groups and so on, ... are we getting the right age groups? I think we have to come to a happy medium and I think that's where we've got to now. The decision is made by PBAC finally and approved, of course, by government. But, of course, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation looks at all the immunisation benefits as well, so they're the ones that give advice as well.

ALEX SLOAN: Do you see any groups or any parents baulking at immunising their children?

DR HAIKERWAL: Well look, I mean there are always a group that have problems with immunisation overall, but I would hope that what we're seeing here is a very major advance in science produced in Australia that will reduce a very nasty disease and the instance of that, by a vaccination program. There can only be benefits in all of this. Obviously, the screening program continues with cervical smears anyway, but this is a very important initiative that we should welcome.

ALEX SLOAN: And, of course, developed by an Australian scientist and Australian of the Year, Ian Frazer.

DR HAIKERWAL: Indeed, Ian Frazer who was, of course, a bit disappointed previously, will be delighted.

ALEX SLOAN: Yes, we've got the call in probably with every other media institution today to Ian Frazer, but Mukesh, fantastic to talk to you and so you're very heartened to hear this news.

DR HAIKERWAL: Absolutely and especially because the PBAC has continued its work unabated. They've not been diverted in another way, which is important.

ALEX SLOAN: Terrific to talk to you, thank you.

Ends