New campaign for cervical cancer jab in Holland

http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/dutch-rss-news/new-campaign-for-cervical-cancer-jab_12072.html

New campaign for cervical cancer jab
28/12/2009

The Dutch National Institute of Public Health plans to change its advertising strategy to promote a new vaccination campaign against cervical cancer.

A marketing agency has been asked to create an advertising campaign which plays more on people’s emotions rather than just keep to the medical facts.

The institute will also join in discussions on the internet. Less than half 13-16 year-old girls turned up for the vaccination programme last March largely as a result of scare stories on the internet.

Among genuine concerns about the speed at which the vaccination campaign had been introduced, were outrageous claims that the jab made girls bald.

A second round of jabs was planned in the autumn, but it was postponed as a result of the H1N1 pandemic. The vaccination programme will continue in the spring. All 12-year olds will be called up to have the jab. Any 13-16 year-olds who want the vaccination will also be given it.

Daily newspaper AD reports that every year 90 cervical cancer cases are missed in screening.