HSE must introduce HPV vaccine catch up programme for boys
Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has that parents are shouldering an unfair cost burden for boys to receive the HPV vaccine and that a catch up programme must be implemented
Deputy Kelly said:
“This week, I have received correspondence from parents who are being quoted ludicrous preventative sums of up to €800 to get young sons who not long out of their first year of secondary school vaccinated.
“When I first brought proposals for boys to get the HPV vaccine to the Dáil, it was meant to be the same programme that young girls receive, including the excellent catch up programme.
“The Minister for Health needs to ensure that provisions are made to extend the HPV vaccine catch up programme to boys.
“It is not good enough that the HPV vaccine catch up programme is currently only available to girls because the HSE deem that it is not “cost effective” to extend the scheme to boys.
“After everything we have learned about the HPV vaccine and it’s efficacy in protecting against HPV-related cancers such as cervical cancer, it is wrong that the HSE are putting a price on preventative heath measures.
“For years, I have been promoting the fact that boys should get the HPV vaccine and was happy to work with the Government in achieving this, but is is completely wrong that boys are excluded from the same catch up programme as their female counterparts.”