The Ministry of Health is reviewing material it is using to promote the human papillomavirus vaccination (HPV) campaign following concerns a DVD it is showing in schools is unbalanced, misleading and based on fear.
Federation of Women's Health Councils co-conveners Barbara Beckford and Barbara Robson say the DVD makes the claim the vaccine will prevent cervical cancer when the long-term evidence proving that is not available.
The federation and Women's Health Action are also critical of the absence of information in the DVD about the ongoing role of cervical screening, if the vaccine is proven successful.
The vaccine is designed to protect against four strains of HPV, including two which are believed to be responsible for development of 70% of all cervical cancers.
Otago HPV vaccination project leader Jo-Anne Skinner said it was important to note the DVD was never presented without additional comment from public health nurses and without other written information on the programme.
Public health nurses were keen to promote the need for cervical screening.
They were fully aware the vaccination would not be successful in every case, in common with any vaccine.
Also, there was no way of knowing if girls had been exposed to all four HPV strains the vaccine was designed to protect against.
Ministry of Health chief adviser (population health) Dr Greg Simmons said in a statement yesterday that resources being used by the programme were being reviewed following feedback from some organisations.
He also commented on the federation's concerns that parents in some parts of the country were feeling unduly harassed about involvement in the vaccination programme, being pressured by public health nurses and teachers over consenting to the vaccination.
The ministry viewed coercion as unacceptable practice and would be concerned to learn of this. Anyone with such concerns should contact their district health board, he said.
Mrs Skinner said she had not received any complaints about the behaviour of Otago public health nurses.
All were aware they were there to give information and allow parents to decide.
"It is very much about personal choice. Every individual is different," Mrs Skinner said.
Another of the federation's concerns was that girls were being pressured to return consent forms.
Mrs Skinner said while she acknowledged there was no obligation to return forms, she was asking people to do so, even if they did not wish to take part, otherwise the team did not know if the forms had been taken home.
Ms Beckford and Ms Robson are also concerned about confusion over the sharing of school roll data with the programme and that schools have not followed the advice of the Privacy Commissioner on this.
In a joint letter from the ministries of health and education, last year, schools were advised that if they wished to use school roll information they must first notify their school communities via newsletters.
This was to allow parents who did not agree, to opt out of having that information sent to the district health boards.
Investigation by the Otago Daily Times into this showed that neither ministry planned to monitor whether the commissioner's advice was followed, but the Ministry of Education would follow up complaints if raised.
The Ministry of Health suggested if parents felt information was given out incorrectly they could approach the board of trustees and then the privacy commissioner.
It was pointed out that parents might not be aware the information had been accessed.
Not all schools have shared roll data, some preferring to ask the programme organisers for enough forms to cover eligible girls.
HPV vaccination concerns
Concerns over school-based HPV vaccination programme raised by women's health organisations. -
• Ministry of Health to review materials after DVD described as misleading
• Claims in some parts of the country public health nurses and teachers harassing pupils about consent
• Otago project leader says no concerns have been raised about public health nurses
• Ministry of Health says coercion is unacceptable and anyone with concerns should contact their district health board
• Processes for sharing school roll data with district health boards confused
