Written answers

Tuesday, 11 May 2021

Department of Health

Vaccination Programme

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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856. To ask the Minister for Health the number of first year students that are or were applicable under the HPV scheme; the number of HPV vaccines administered to the same cohort in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24390/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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857. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a significant drop-off in vaccines administered in view of school closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the possible impact this has had on HPV vaccination numbers on first year students; if so, if he will urgently make funding available which would facilitate a HPV catch-up programme in line with his Department’s guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24391/21]

Photo of Neasa HouriganNeasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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941. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to allow pharmacies to administer the HPV vaccine considering the drop in HPV vaccination rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24702/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 857 and 941 together.

All vaccines administered through the School Immunisation Programme, including the HPV vaccine, are provided free of charge.

The ages at which vaccines are recommended in the immunisation schedule are chosen by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) in order to give each child the best possible protection against vaccine preventable diseases.

As the HPV vaccine is preventative it is intended to be administered, if possible, before a person becomes sexually active, that is, before a person is first exposed to HPV infection.

Therefore, the gender-neutral HPV vaccination programme targets all girls and boys in their first year of secondary school to provide maximum coverage.

My Department will continue to be guided by the NIAC's recommendations on any emerging evidence on this issue in the future.

It is important to note that the schools-based immunisation programme for the 2019/2020 academic year has been completed and the uptake rates for the HPV vaccine in that academic year are 82% for the first dose of the vaccine and 77% for the second dose.

This is the highest uptake for the HPV vaccination programme since 2015/2016 and is particularly encouraging because it was the first year that boys were included in the programme and it shows that the provision of vaccine in community clinics did not adversely affect the uptake.

The programme for the academic year 2020/2021 was paused during the first few months of 2021 due to school closures and redeployment of staff to the COVID-19 immunisation programme.

The inputting of uptake information for the schools-based programme has also been delayed due to redeployment of administrative staff. However, Community Healthcare Organisations have reported that the vast majority of second level schools had their first dose of HPV vaccine delivered between October and December 2020.

The uptake rate for the first dose of the HPV vaccine, in the 2020/2021 academic year, as at 29 April 2021, is 66% and this figure is expected to increase because data input on vaccine uptake is ongoing.

All or almost all areas have recommenced or are about to recommence the school programmes and the HSE expects the HPV vaccination programme to be substantially complete before the start of the next academic year.

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