A catch-up programme is set to be rolled out for young people who have not yet received the HPV vaccine, with the vaccine to be offered to all women under 25 for free.
Boys and girls in secondary school who were eligible to receive it in first year but missed it because of the pandemic are also eligible for the scheme.
The vaccine substantially cuts the risk of developing cervical cancer and also protects against other HPV related cancers and genital warts.
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The vaccine has been licensed since 2006 and since then over 350,000 people in Ireland have received it.
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD, has welcomed updated advice from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) in relation to the HPV Vaccination Programme.
Speaking about the catch-up programme, Minister Donnelly said: “Based on the NIAC’s updated advice, I have asked the HSE to prepare to operationalise a programme that would provide for all girls and boys in secondary schools who were previously eligible to receive the HPV vaccine and who have not yet, for whatever reason, received it, to now be offered the vaccine.
“I have also asked the HSE to provide options on how best to introduce a catch-up programme for young women who have now left secondary school and who did not receive the vaccine when they were eligible.”
He added: "This is an incredibly effective vaccine and young people should be able to access it. Our goal it to eradicate cervical cancer over time.
"Ireland is the only country in the western world to reverse a crisis in confidence in HPV vaccination. We owe patient advocate Laura Brennan, an incredible campaigner, and her family a huge amount.”
Welcoming the news, the Irish Cancer Society urged everyone to get the vaccine once the catch-up programme is in place.
Speaking about the announcement, Irish Cancer Society CEO Averil Power said: “After many years of strongly advocating in support of the HPV vaccine and more recently for a catch-up programme, we welcome today’s significant announcement by the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly that this will now be happening, and we recognise his leadership on this important issue.
She added: “Around 400 women and men are diagnosed with HPV-caused cancers every year in Ireland. It is essential that nobody misses out on the protection against cancer the HPV vaccine gives, so that we can achieve our shared goal of eliminating HPV cancers."
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