Minister for Health Simon Harris has said that advice on the HPV vaccine should be left to medical professionals.

Speaking at the launch of a new HSE campaign aiming to encourage parents to vaccinate their daughters, Harris said that medical advice on vaccinations should be given only by those who are "well-qualified." The injection protects young girls against developing cervical cancer in their later life. It is currently offered to all girls in their first year of secondary school. Harris said:

“I’m not a medical expert, I don’t give medical advice and I think that’s a very good rule of thumb for everybody to follow. If you want to be a clinician, if you want to be a pharmacist, if you want to be a scientist - go study one of those disciplines. Then come back and give scientific advice."

The statement comes after a series of claims that girls were experiencing side effects from the vaccine. Uptake levels of the injection have dropped from 90 percent to just 50 percent last year. https://twitter.com/HSELive/status/902851000675041280 Harris added that the campaign was necessary to ensure that people are receiving accurate information about the vaccine. "We know that the HPV vaccine works and saves lives," he said.

"One of the most important things we can do is to provide accurate and credible information to enable parents to take a fully informed decision concerning HPV vaccination."

The HSE campaign's website includes an information pack on facts about the vaccine and proof of its safety.  Every year, 300 women in Ireland are diagnosed with cervical cancer.  Of these, 90 will die. The HPV campaign states that more than 220,000 Irish girls have safely received the vaccine. "No serious side effects in any country can be scientifically attributed to this vaccine," it says.