Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 January 2023
1277. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the way that is it intended to reach the 90% coverage rate for the HPV vaccine given that NIAC has advised that this is essential for an effective single-dose programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63642/22]
View answerThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation.
The ages at which vaccines are recommended in the immunisation schedule are chosen by the NIAC in order to give each child the best possible protection against vaccine preventable diseases. As the HPV vaccine is preventative it is intended to be administered, if possible, before a person becomes exposed to HPV infection.
Therefore, the gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme targets all girls and boys in first year of secondary school to provide maximum coverage.
The NIAC has updated their advice about the number of HPV vaccine doses young people need to receive stating that people with healthy immune systems now only need one dose of HPV vaccine.
The reason for this change is that recent scientific evidence did not show a big difference in the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine in people with healthy immune systems, aged 9 to 24 years, who received one, two or three doses of the HPV vaccine.
The HSE continue to provide communications support and vaccine opportunities to strive to reach an uptake of 90% for the HPV vaccine for those in first year of second level education.
Furthermore, in line with the NIAC's advice, I have asked the HSE to facilitate and operationalise the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccination Catch-Up Programme.
This programme offers a free HPV vaccines to all boys and girls in second level education who were previously eligible to receive the HPV vaccine and who have not yet, for whatever reason, received it.
Young women, up to the age of 25, who have now left secondary school, and who did not receive the vaccine, are also eligible to receive the vaccine as part of the catch-up programme.
Eligible young people and their parents can register their interest in receiving the vaccine on www.hpv.ie This link also contains detailed information about the HPV vaccine.
