The founder of renowned Co Kildare charity Jack & Jill, is calling for the Minister of Health to review the HPV vaccine claiming that it is the reason that his daughter spent her teenage years ‘bed-ridden’ and unable to attend school.
Jonathan Irwin, who is married to Mary-Ann O’Brien, the founder of Newbridge based Lily O’Brien Chocolates, is calling for a review of the HPV vaccine to ensure that it is safe. He is opposed to plans for the HSE to roll out the HPV vaccine for boys from next year.
Mr Irwin claims that Minister Simon Harris has not responded to calls from himself and his wife, for a review of the vaccine.
He claims that his daughter, Molly, who represented Ireland in pony -riding, became ill, six weeks after being given the HPV vaccine. That was six years ago, and with a lot of treatment, life is returning gradually to normal for her.
Mr Irwin said: “She was attending boarding school in Thurles at the time. She got the HPV vaccine and not longer after, she began suffering, getting violently sick, headaches.”
He says that she had to be home- schooled after that and that her show-jumping came to an end.
He says that treatment in Germany and America has revealed that she had mercury and aluminium in her blood.
Mr Irwin claims: “She had swelling when the injection happened, six weeks later she could not get on a horse. She had brain fog all the time, at 16 she was bed-ridden.”
He is concerned that appeals to get a response or explanation from the Minister for Health have not been responded to.
He said: “We feel totally abandoned.”
Although his daughter’s health is improving, it is slow he says.
Mr Irwin said: “I don’t think she will be fit enough to take up her place for Business Studies this year.”
Currently, the national immunisation programme offers the HPV vaccine to girls in their first year of secondary school. HIQA’s health technology assessment is reviewing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of extending this programme to include vaccinating boys in their first year of secondary school as well.
A HSE statement said: “About one girl in 10 will get pain, swelling and redness at the injection site and or headache.About one girl in 100 will get nausea, pain in the vaccinated arm and mild fever.
About one girl in 1000 to one girl in 10,000 will get an itchy rash or hives.
Severe allergic reactions with difficulty breathing are very rare (about one in 1 million patients). However, the school vaccination team are trained to treat any severe allergic reaction.
Occasionally girls faint after getting an injection. The girls are advised to sit down for 15 minutes after the vaccination. This helps prevent fainting.”
HIQA’s Director of Health Technology Assessment and Deputy Chief Executive, Dr Máirín Ryan, said: “HPV infection presents a significant and increasing health burden in both males and females, but currently only girls are offered the vaccine. On average, 539 cases of cancer associated with HPV infection are diagnosed every year in Ireland, including cervical, anal, penile and oropharyngeal cancers. HPV infection is also responsible for genital warts, with 90% of these caused by HPV types that are included in the vaccine.”
Dr Ryan said:“No treatment exists for HPV infection, so the focus must be on preventing those at risk from acquiring the virus.
The vaccine is given through a school based programme, to ensure high vaccine uptake. However, in specific instances some girls will be invited to special HSE clinics for their vaccines.
The HSE will let you know the date the school immunisation team will the girl’s school to give the HPV vaccine. If a student misses the vaccine in school, the HSE will arrange for the student to be vaccinated at a HSE clinic.
Annually in Ireland, over 6,500 women need hospital treatment for pre- cancer of the cervix, 300 women get cervical cancer, and 90 women die from it.
A HSE statement said: “Cervical Cancer is caused by HPV.
HPV vaccine protects against seven out of 10 cervical cancers.
We are offering the vaccine to girls in first year because the vaccine works best when given at this age. The vaccine will protect the girls before adulthood and the likely exposure to HPV.
The World Health Organization considers HPV vaccines to be extremely safe.”
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