9. Plaid Cymru debate: Head and neck cancers

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:06 pm on 27 June 2018.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 6:06, 27 June 2018

Thank you. What's important here is that we agree that this is bound to be cost-effective because of the serious illnesses, the cancers that we could be avoiding by the introduction of this. As I say, the first immunisation, the first vaccine for cancer. 

This is the third issue today, Cabinet Secretary, that I've brought up here in the Assembly on something that could be introduced, that could be rolled out further, that is clinically proven, that we believe is cost-effective, that is somehow being held back. I raised the issue of the eight-year fight for the introduction of radiofrequency ablation treatment for Barrett’s oesophagus, and I appreciated, again, your positive response and hopefully we'll get some movement on that.

I raised once again the question of mpMRI scans that allows the diagnosis of prostate cancers without biopsy—something that we're awaiting NICE approval for, even though England and Scotland are also awaiting NICE approval, but they're just doing it. So, in all these cases, I believe clinical evidence is clear. Here we have something that will save the lives, no, not of people today, but 50 years down the line—[Interruption.] I would love to, but I can't. So, please support this and show that we want people in Wales, be they male or female, to get the best possible chances in life, and HPV has given that opportunity. It's just a matter of rolling it out.