IMO President calls for continued pressure to promote safety of HPV Vaccinations

President welcomes marginal increase in update of vaccination rates in Cork and Kerry.

Friday 19th May 2017: Dr. Ann Hogan, President of the IMO, a Community Medicine professional who oversees vaccination campaigns in the Mid West of Ireland has welcomed provisional figures showing a marginal increase in the uptake of the HPV vaccine amongst teenage girls in Cork and Kerry rising to 50 per cent, from 40 per cent last year. The figures were released today at a special conference on HSE HPV Vaccinations.

Dr. Hogan said while these figures are encouraging it is not a time to become complacent about the seriousness of the situation with regard to HPV vaccination uptake.

“This is not a signal to relax our efforts in this area, we need to keep the pressure up to provide accurate information to parents and young people about the merits of vaccination for HPV. Mis-information and fake news is causing fear among young people and parents which is contributing to the decline in vaccinations and putting the future of young women at risk of cervical cancer and other ailments.”

“We are a long way away from achieving the uptake we need for a successful vaccinations programme. The next vaccination phase in our schools will be September so it is incumbent on clinicians and everyone involved to get the message out there between now and September that the HPV vaccination saves lives.”