You might be aware there has recently been a breakthrough in the treatment of cervical cancer, the second biggest cancer killer of women in the world. A vaccine has been developed that has the potential to save many lives, as well as reduce the dreadful suffering that cervical cancer causes women.
The vaccine acts on two strains of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), HPV16 and HPV18, which cause 70% of cervical cancers. HPV is the number one sexually transmitted disease in the world. Seventy five percent of women will be infected at some point in their lives.
Recent research by the University of New South Wales, along with other research around the world, concluded HPV is also found in some breast cancers. Previous research had found HPV in penile, vaginal and anal cancers, and in mouth, throat and some head and neck cancers.
Even though the vaccine is a great step forward, there are things we should be outraged about with regards to its introduction into health systems here and in other countries. The Rudd Labor government is in fact worsening the health of women.
Two transnational drug companies produce the vaccine: Merck (brand name Gardasil) and Glaxo Smith Kline (brand name Cervarix). These vaccines have the potential to reduce the cases of cervical cancer around the world by 70%.
But they won't, because profit is the primary goal of the big pharmaceutical companies. Vaccinations of many young women in developing countries will not occur because the vaccine will be unavailable or available at an unaffordable price.
But what about Australia? Isn't the Australian government providing vaccinations to young women? Well, it was.
The Rudd government, through the National Immunisation Program, provided the vaccination to young women up to the age of 26 for free. This year, this program ceases for women over the age of 13.
Some experts suggested boys and young men should also be vaccinated, as men are the vectors of the disease. But this idea has also been dismissed.
Surely we should be actively engaged in the elimination of HPV and hence cervical cancer from our society?
The government will tell you that women (and men) can still get the vaccination, but they would have to fork out $450 — the vaccine isn't even on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. What an outrage that a medicine of such significance isn't available at a subsidised rate!
Of course this is no skin off their nose, or that of the rich. But what about the poor, unemployed, single parents or low-income families? Where do they get the money to protect themselves?
It seems subsidising the big carbon polluters or buying Joint Strike Fighters is more important to the ALP than providing for women's health.
This demonstrates once again the immorality of capitalist social priorities. Essential medical care that can save lives and reduce suffering is being withheld, only to maximise "shareholder value" for multinational drug companies. And the government is allowing it to happen.
Socialist Alliance believes in a better and fairer health system, a fully funded and publicly-owned healthcare system that puts the needs and welfare of the people first.
We need a system that develops vaccines available to all at little or no charge. A system where essential medicines are put before the profit margins of the multinationals.
A good approach of course, but how would we fund it? For starters, by renationalising the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories. Its privatisation was described by University of Sydney professor of accounting Bob Walker as one of the biggest rip-offs of the century.
The Australian health system could start to free itself from the blackmailing power of the Mercks and Glaxo Smith Klines of this world.
The system also needs a radical shift in budget priorities. Cut out pointless military expenditure and billions in subsidies to the big polluters and pump those billions into funding a health system capable of guarding and improving the health of all.
[Gregory Rowell is a Socialist Alliance national executive member and a current student in pathology at TAFE. References for this article are available from gregoryrowell@optusnet.com.au.]