Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris. This is the first time he has graced the new Seanad Chamber with his presence.

I tabled this matter to discuss the need for the Minister to initiate a campaign to outline the safety of the HPV vaccine in light of very negative publicity. The HPV vaccination is a very important tool in the context of public health. It is a very important step for our nation to ensure that our population is well vaccinated. We have over 11 different vaccinations on offer here. The programme has worked very well to ensure that we have good public health standards. That has been a very positive development over the years.

I am greatly concerned by the negative publicity regarding the HPV vaccination in recent months. If we consider the success of other vaccination programmes, in the case of the measles, mumps and rubella, MMR, vaccine, we are seeking a compliance rate of 95%. The current rate of uptake is 93% on foot of a positive campaign. As a father, I think it has been a very worthy campaign. Unfortunately, the rate of uptake for the HPV vaccine has dropped in recent years. The vaccine was first introduced in 2010. In 2013, the rate of uptake was 88%. That fell to 86% in 2014 and to 76% in 2015.They are stating now that it is possibly as low as 50%. That is greatly worrying. The HPV vaccination gives women the opportunity to be vaccinated against cervical cancer, which is a silent killer. It is an issue that we, as a society, must address. In terms of the figures, 650 women will need to attend hospital treatment for pre-cancerous conditions regarding cervical cancer every year. Every year, 300 women contract the disease and, unfortunately, we lose 90 of them. It is a silent killer, and that is the reason vaccination is so important.

We need to redouble our efforts to get across the positive message regarding this important tool to ensure that this disease can be controlled. I read some figures yesterday and they frightened me. Unfortunately, we would lose another 40 people with a 50% uptake.

I realise the Minister has worked tirelessly to ensure that the good message about this vaccine gets out. We must ensure we have a follow-up programme for people who want to come back into the system. We also need to battle the false information in the media about this important issue.

I put down this Commencement matter to raise my frustration about what I believe is a very important issue. We need to get the information out to the public. The public wants to be informed. It is a good news story, and it is a positive campaign that will literally save lives. I believe the Minister will move heaven and earth to ensure that will happen. I raise this Commencement matter because I believe we need to air this important issue. If we have a successful campaign to get out the good news about this issue, it is hoped that we will literally save lives.