A national campaign to promote Scotland's first mass anti-cancer vaccinations was launched today. A road show will visit more than a dozen venues in August, from Inverness and Aberdeen to Galashiels and Dumfries. It aims to inform teenage girls and young women about the Scottish Government's HPV immunisation campaign and how it can protect them against cervical cancer. The road show is backed by a national advertising and information campaign that aims to raise awareness of what is the National Health Service in Scotland's first ever mass anti-cancer vaccination campaign.

The vaccination will be offered on a routine basis from this September to girls in S2 at high schools. A three-year "catch-up" campaign also begins this year to vaccinate girls aged 13-17, including those who have already left school. Immunisation will protect girls against two strains of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) that cause around 70 per cent of cervical cancers.

Public Health Minister Shona Robison, who launched the campaign today, said: "Cervical cancer kills more than a hundred Scottish women every year, and touches the lives of many hundreds more. Through this simple, effective vaccine we can ensure future generations are protected against the virus responsible for almost three quarters of cervical cancers. The lifesaving HPV vaccination is an enormous public health breakthrough that will help prevent young Scottish women from developing a potentially deadly disease."

Dr Martin Donaghy, Medical Director of Health Protection Scotland, said: "This is an exciting new immunisation programme for Scotland, and will deliver health benefits to women nationwide. It will protect future generations of girls from developing cervical cancer, and will mean many more will not have to undergo invasive treatments later in life. Whilst this is a challenging and complex programme to deliver, it is also a huge step forward in terms of cancer prevention. Hundreds of health professionals have already been trained and I'm confident everyone's hard work will pay off when the programme starts from September 1."

Twelve-year-old Lauren Gray from Glasgow attended today's launch with her mother and will be eligible to receive the HPV vaccine at school. She said: "I've now heard about the immunisation programme and I do think that anything that will protect me against any form of cancer will make me feel happier about my health. Cervical cancer is not something that I've ever thought about before but I now feel happier that I will be protected from it when I get the jab later this year."

The HPV vaccine does not take the place of regular cervical screening. It is vital that girls who are vaccinated attend for screening every three years between the ages of 20 and 60.

The Scottish Government has set aside £64 million over the next three years, with health boards receiving an additional £1.5 million in 2008-09 to administer the HPV campaign. Around 30,000 will be routinely immunised each year, with an extra 120,000 girls and young women immunised in the three-year catch-up campaign. Leaflets and other information will be issued through schools when term begins providing further information on the vaccination programme and how HPV causes cervical cancer. The vaccine is administered as 3 injections in the arm over a 6 month period.

(Press Release from Scottish Government)