Sir, – Jacky Jones (Health + Family, December 10th) accuses us of "scaremongering" (in the December issue of Alive!) and misrepresenting the facts regarding the HPV vaccine, but all we've done is tell the truth about the damage it has done to young girls, not just in Ireland, but all around the world.
The adverse reactions in Ireland we listed come directly from the Irish Medicines Board adverse reactions report, and they certainly are scary.
It is absolutely not true that we have misrepresented the 2008 Hiqa Report and Dr Jones confirms Hiqa has not changed its opinion since 2008. In 2008 Hiqa was quite clear – ie "The protective effect of the vaccine against invasive cancer has not yet been demonstrated" simply because research studies are not around long enough to show that the vaccine reduces the incidence of invasive cancer.
Our question for Dr Jones – and for everyone involved in administering this vaccine is: Why have parents not been told that Hiqa says the vaccine does not guarantee protection against cervical cancer with this vaccine? Why have our girls not been told this? In fact they are being told the exact opposite. The HSE information leaflet tells them that the HPV vaccine does protect them from cervical cancer and that they are protected now for the future.
THERESA HEANEY,
Mothers Alliance Ireland,
O’Connell Street, Limerick.