Mayo Senator urges expansion of HPV vaccination program to protect all under-25s

Senator Lisa Chambers has called for the extension and renewed funding of the Laura Brennan HPV Catch-Up Vaccination Programme to include all individuals under 25 who missed the vaccine during their school years.

The programme, initially launched in 2022, provided free HPV vaccinations to boys and girls in secondary education who had previously been eligible but had not yet received the vaccine.

It also extended to women up to age 25 and men up to age 22 who had missed the vaccine after leaving secondary school.

Speaking about the programme, Senator Chambers emphasised the importance of continuing and expanding the initiative.

“Fianna Fáil launched the HPV Vaccine Catch-Up Programme in 2022, naming it after Laura Brennan to honour her tireless efforts in promoting the vaccine among young people,” she stated.

“Since its inception, the programme ran until December 2023 and successfully provided free HPV vaccines to approximately 11,000 people.”

Chambers highlighted the significant impact of the programme, noting that it has saved lives and reduced the prevalence of HPV in Ireland.

"Laura dedicated herself to ensuring that as few families as possible would have to endure the challenges of cancer treatment and end-of-life care as she did.

To honour her legacy, it is crucial that we extend the programme to all under-25s who missed it at school," she added.

The senator stressed that this extension is a vital step towards achieving one of Ireland’s key public health goals. “One of our stated goals is to eliminate cervical cancer in Ireland by 2040.

By funding and expanding the Programme, we can increase HPV vaccination and screening rates, bringing us closer to this goal,” she concluded.