We need to fight HPV vaccine scaremongering with scientific facts – Burke

There needs to be a better uptake of the potentially lifesaving HPV Vaccine, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Fine Gael Spokesperson on Health in the Seanad, Cork North Central Senator, Colm Burke said: “We all need to row in behind the 2017 HPV Vaccine campaign.

“There has been a concerted scaremongering campaign against this vital vaccine. We need to fight this scaremongering with scientific facts.

“I welcome that over 30 different Organisations in the health, education, children’s advocacy and women’s rights sectors have formed the HPV Vaccination Alliance with the objective of reversing this misinformation.

“Where vaccination does not occur, up to 30% of girls are at risk of having an infection which could lead to cervical cancer. In Australia, where there has been a high uptake of the vaccination, the data shows that the rate of infection has dropped to 4%.

“The fact is this vaccine has had more formal safety reviews than any other single vaccine and the World Health Organization independent vaccine advisory group concluded there was no reason to suspect any link between the vaccine and pain and fatigue conditions.

“The European Medicines Agency recently conducted a large study to see if there was any increased incidence of adverse conditions among the vaccinated, they found was that the background rates were the same as those among the vaccinated children.

“The HPV vaccine is offered free of charge to all girls in their 1st year of second level school and the experts are unanimous that this vaccine will save lives.

“I would encourage parents to ensure their daughters avail of this vital vaccine,” Senator Burke said.