Written answers

Tuesday, 20 June 2017

Department of Health

Vaccination Programme

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1250. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to instil public confidence in the national immunisation programme for HPV; his further plans to use mass media campaigns to encourage better take up of this vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27595/17]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Media campaigns in relation to immunisation programmes are a service matter. I have referred this question to the Health Service Executive for a direct reply to the Deputy.

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1251. To ask the Minister for Health the timeframe for the extension of the national immunisation programme for HPV to boys in view of the fact that 39,000 men worldwide die of HPV related cancer each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27596/17]

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1252. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department is examining the positive impact a universal vaccination programme for HPV has had on countries such as the United States of America, Australia and Canada; if a health technology assessment on universal vaccination has been completed by HIQA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27597/17]

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1256. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to roll out the HPV vaccine to boys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27602/17]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1251, 1252 and 1256 together.

The immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC is a committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland comprising of experts in a number of specialties including infectious diseases, paediatrics and public health. The committee's recommendations are informed by public health advice and international best practice. All relevant and appropriate information is taken into account when deciding to make changes to the State's immunisation programmes.

NIAC has made a recommendation that the HPV vaccine should be given to boys. My Department asked the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to carry out a health technology assessment (HTA). The Board of HIQA approved the initiation of the HTA in March 2017 to examine the extension of the current HPV immunisation programme to include boys. Work has commenced and the target date for completion of the HTA, which will include a complex model to simulate disease transmission, is September 2018. Any decision concerning the extension of the programme will be informed by the results of the HTA.

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1253. To ask the Minister for Health the availability of the HPV vaccine to girls that have previously declined or missed the administration of the vaccine in school as part of the national immunisation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27598/17]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Availability of the HPV vaccine to girls that have previously declined or missed the administration of the vaccine in school as part of the national immunisation programme is a service matter. I have referred this question to the Health Service Executive for a direct reply to the Deputy.

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1254. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which he plans to communicate the importance and effectiveness of the HPV vaccine to parents and separately to 12 year olds in order to increase the uptake of the national immunisation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27599/17]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Communication of the importance and effectiveness of the HPV vaccine to support the uptake of the national immunisation programme is a service matter. I have referred this question to the Health Service Executive for a direct reply to the Deputy.

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1255. To ask the Minister for Health if the process of vaccination will be named as a key prevention tactic in the upcoming national cancer strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27600/17]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Government approval to the draft National Cancer Strategy 2017-2016 will be sought shortly. The Strategy will have a focus on cancer prevention across a range of measures.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.