Irish Cancer Society wants to improve uptake of HPV vaccination

The Irish Cancer Society has called for increased funding to improve the uptake of the HPV vaccination programme.

It follows findings by the National Cancer Registry showing that 130 people in Ireland die from cancers related to the Human Papilloma Virus each year.

The Registry says effective use of the vaccine could prevent up to two-thirds of HPV-related cancers in women.

Director Professor Kerri Clough Gorr says unfortunately, the uptake of the vaccine has dropped as low as 50%, because of misinformation: "The evidence at hand with regard to these vaccinations point to the fact that the benefits of these vaccinations outweigh the possible side effects of the vacinations.

"And this is substantiated in the US and the UK."