Ministers tell Church leave debate on HPV vaccine to the experts

Ministers have urged the Church to leave clinical debates to the experts after one bishop claimed that the HPV cervical cancer vaccine is only “70%” safe.

Independent Alliance Minister of State John Halligan has followed Health Minister Simon Harris who has previously warned that unless people are medically qualified to give advice, they should “butt out”.

Mr Halligan said he finds it “incredible” that the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Phonsie Cullinan, had attempted to conflate the clinical value of the vaccine with the Church’s views on the need to “help young people stay chaste”.