HEALTH BRIEFING:COMMUNITY HEALTH doctors have expressed disquiet that arrangements for the administration of HPV vaccine to schoolgirls may exclude those most at risk of developing cervical cancer.
Routine HPV vaccination is offered free to girls in the first year of secondary school in the Republic. In addition, a catch-up programme targets schoolgirls reaching 18 years of age.
However, sources have told The Irish Timesthe catch-up arrangements do not extend to those who leave secondary school prematurely. Early leavers tend to be predominantly from lower socioeconomic groups who experience the highest rates of cervical cancer. These women tend not to avail of cervical cancer screening in later life.
According to the Central Statistics Office, the early school leavers rate among women aged 18-24 in 2007 was 8.7 per cent. There is particular concern that girls from the Traveller community may be discriminated against.
HPV vaccine is given in three doses over a six-month period. It is designed to eradicate most of the viruses known to cause cancer of the cervix. For maximum effectiveness, it must be given before a woman becomes sexually active.
However, the HSE has made arrangements to offer the vaccine to girls who are being home-schooled. The National Education and Welfare Board has undertaken to contact the parents of female pupils in the target population who are registered with it as being educated out of school with details of the programme.