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Transcript Of Interview With Fran Kelly - Radio National – 24 September 2009 |
| Spokesperson: | The Hon Nicola Roxon - Minister for Health & Ageing |
| Date: | Thursday, 24 September 2009 |
| Category: | Speeches and interviews |
| Subjects: H1/N1 vaccinations, Medicare rebates for cataract procedures, private health insurance rebate changes FRAN KELLY: Next week will see the start of the single biggest mass immunisation program in Australia's history. It's being rolled out to combat the swine flu pandemic. The Australian Government has ordered 21 million doses of the swine flu vaccination which has been developed by CSL and approved by the TGA, the Therapeutic Goods Administration. There's one free jab for every Australian adult who wants one. But children who are, in fact, particularly susceptible to this H1N1 strain, this swine flu, are going to have to wait a few more months while more clinical trials are carried out. Flu season might be over here in Australia, but authorities fear a second wave of swine influenza as the Northern Hemisphere heads into its winter months. Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon's in charge of the vaccination scheme and she joins us now. Minister, good morning. NICOLA ROXON: Good morning. FRAN KELLY: When will the vaccines be available to the public, Minister? NICOLA ROXON: The vaccines will start being available from Wednesday next week, 30 September. They're already being distributed to general practices, and hospitals and other facilities across the country. We've received over four million doses of the vaccine. And it's going to be available to everyone who wants it, aged 10 and over, but we are trying to particularly urge those who are vulnerable to prioritise going to see their GP to get this vaccine and ensure that they get the extra protection that it provides. FRAN KELLY: So it's available for everyone. Are you recommending that we all be vaccinated? NICOLA ROXON: We certainly are. We believe that it should be prioritised for people that are vulnerable, like those with chronic diseases, asthma and diabetes, and heart disease, cancer, et cetera. Parents and guardians of very young children, those zero to six months, and a range of other groups. But we do have enough to vaccinate everyone who would like to be vaccinated, so there is no reason that if you're, perhaps, a parent of a 14 or 15 year old child who's asthmatic, that you can't all go and get the vaccine at the same time. Of course, we don't yet have the full 21 million doses at every GP practice, so people will have to have a little bit of patience that - ringing up and booking ahead of time, and making sure that the practice has the vaccine available, is a sensible thing to do. FRAN KELLY: Is this, sort of, rapid, universal rollout, is this, sort of, an over-reaction because I note there are some critics. Dr Peter Collignon, for instance, the director of infectious diseases in ACT Health is worried that a rapid rollout could lead to lethal side effects. Have you been given advice on this? NICOLA ROXON: Look, we've been given very clear advice that this scale of vaccination is the best possible protection that we can provide for individuals and their families. The other experts, and the Chief Medical Officer, and his team of advisers, fundamentally disagree with that particular professor's views. But look, we live in a country where people can express their views. I certainly believe that people should be in a position that they're protecting themselves and the community. We need to remember that although this is a mild disease for most people, those who are vulnerable can get very severe outcomes. And the best way to protect those people is not just vaccinate them, but also make sure we've got sufficient immunity in the community that the disease can't spread easily, particularly if it comes back in a more virulent form. FRAN KELLY: One of the most vulnerable groups we know, so far from this flu, are children, but there's no vaccine yet for kids under the age of nine. What's the hold-up there? NICOLA ROXON: Well, there have to be paediatric trials to ensure that there are no complications, to make sure, in particular, that we have the dose right for children to be protected. So I don't make any apology for us waiting until we have that trial data. In fact, young people are particularly good spreaders of this disease, rather than amongst the most vulnerable. We have the same mix of children and adults that are vulnerable, mostly depending on other conditions. We have seen some worrying trends... FRAN KELLY: But as good spreaders, it means we'd like to have them vaccinated. NICOLA ROXON: Oh, absolutely, but we need to do that when it's safe. FRAN KELLY: Yeah, sure. NICOLA ROXON: We expect that that data will be to us in the middle to late October, and then, of course, there's the potential for the rollout beyond that. Again, this emphasises why having broader community vaccination helps stop the spread. So, for example, a kindergarten-aged child might get the flu in this period. But if the carers and parents are all vaccinated, it won't spread as easily to others. So we need to start with the big chunk of the community that can effectively have the vaccine, and, of course, be able to roll it out for younger children as it becomes appropriate and available. FRAN KELLY: Flu season here's just about over, but you're urging this rapid rollout. So, clearly, you're concerned that there could be another wave of this as the Northern Hemisphere comes into its flu season and they could be hit with a second wave of swine flu. NICOLA ROXON: We are. And we're very conscious that in both the US and in Europe, there was quite a big tail after the flu season. So there were some quite severe outbreaks after their normal flu season. So we're still at risk of that. And, of course, we know that in this day and age of a lot of travel, we will have people coming back from the Northern Hemisphere from their flu season into our summer who can still pass on the disease. So we're very conscious that the sooner we get people vaccinated, the better protection we have for everyone in the community. FRAN KELLY: Minister, back to the vaccine itself, the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases is concerned that the vaccine is only available in multi-dose reusable phials, and they say doctors may incidentally double - accidentally double-dip the needle and potentially spread the disease. We have been trying - Breakfast has been trying unsuccessfully for three weeks to have this question answered by the Health Department. Has there been an estimate made as to the number of people who could be infected in this way, accidentally infected? NICOLA ROXON: Well look, the advice I have is that there is a very minimal risk. It is a procedure that has to be properly handled. We have agreement from the immunisation experts, the team who provide us and other health professionals with information, the College of General Practice and the Nursing Federation about the procedures, which involve using one needle one time to draw down the vial, a different needle for each individual person. So two needles per dose to make sure that there isn't any cross-infection. This is the process that's recommended by the World Health Organization. It's being used in many other developed countries around the world. It's not a common practice here in Australia, but it is what's recommended when you're trying to roll out a mass scale vaccination program. FRAN KELLY: Minister, on another too, a Budget measure that's proving to be pretty unpopular, the decision to cut the rebate for cataract surgery. Ophthalmologists are now threatening to ditch their public patients altogether unless the full rebate is reinstated. Is there any chance of a compromise on this? NICOLA ROXON: I think it's very difficult to talk about a compromise when we have ophthalmologists not conceding that any change is appropriate at all when we have people all across the world, including in Australia, experts talking about the changed procedures delivered by technology in the shorter period of time that's required. Now, I understand why people want to vehemently defend their own income, but ultimately, my job is to make sure we're using taxpayers' money wisely. And I don't think it's appropriate to, essentially, be blackmailing patients over securing your own income when already you receive a very sizeable income from Medicare and it will still be a very viable and profitable industry to remain in. FRAN KELLY: But it seems like the people who are going to miss out here are those 100,000 people who need their eyesight-restoring surgery, because 97 per cent of ophthalmologists say they won't bill patients at the lower rebate anyway. They're going to just bill them for price, so it's the patients who are going to dip out. NICOLA ROXON: I'm not convinced that this is at the end of its road yet. We have a lot of people who will tell us privately, but not yet publicly, that they think that this is appropriate, that ophthalmologists themselves know that they have been - being overpaid for these procedures for a very long period of time. I have to make sure that every dollar of taxpayers' money is being used wisely in health. And if we cannot take the benefits of new technology when it delivers a benefit, then I don't think we can continue to expect taxpayers to pay for every new invention or new drug that comes on line. Now, that would be to the disadvantage of the community, but it means a little bit of give and take is needed. FRAN KELLY: Okay. And on another issue, Minister, the health insurance rebate, you're still threatening to recall Parliament in December to get the Senate to consider again the changes to the - the means testing of the private health insurance rebate. Now, this tactic is aimed at giving the Government a trigger for a double dissolution. Because if you're serious about wanting the bill through Parliament, why not reconvene some time before December. As the Greens point out, there are plenty of vacant non-sitting weeks before December where Parliament could be recalled to deal with this. NICOLA ROXON: Well look, that might be right from the Greens' perspective. But ultimately, at this stage, we don't have the minor or independent parties supporting this measure, or the Liberal Party. One of the independents has said he will not vote for this measure until he sees the result of the Productivity Commission's report, which is due in early December. We, obviously, have to take account of that. And as I've made quite clear before, this is not a tactic, as you describe it, designed to have a double dissolution trigger. This is actually us being determined to try to get a Budget measure through which we believe is a very important one, and that's why we will keep all of our options open about how we're able to achieve that. Again, similar to the ophthalmologists, we simply don't believe it's appropriate for low and middle income earners to be paying a rebate for very well off Australians, including even millionaires, who we believe should be able to pay for their own private health insurance. FRAN KELLY: Okay. Minister, thanks very much for joining us. |
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