Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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130. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of sexual health clinics including a clinic (details supplied) are still using the gardasil 4 HPV vaccines instead of the gardasil 9 HPV vaccine; if recipients of the gardasil 4 HPV vaccine will be invited to receive the gardasil 9 vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46967/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Since 2017 the National Immunisation Office has provided vaccine stock to the sexual health programme based on forecasted quantities. All vaccine purchases must be forecasted 6-9 months in advance.

The NIO purchased HPV4 vaccine on behalf of the sexual health programme prior to HPV9 being available. Only sufficient stock of HPV9 for the national universal first year of second level schools programme was available for order in 2019 due to global manufacturing issues. Future procurement of HPV vaccine will be of the HPV9 vaccine.

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee Guidelines for Ireland do not routinely recommend revaccination with HPV9 for those who have completed a series with another HPV vaccine and note that only a small percentage of HPV-associated cancers in males is due to the five additional types prevented by HPV9 (versus HPV4).