Ireland has launched the next stage of the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccine Catch-Up Programme, offering free in-school vaccination to older secondary school students, as part of a national effort to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040.
The HSE has begun the next stage of the Laura Brennan HPV Vaccine Catch-Up Programme, giving older post-primary students another chance to receive the jab free of charge in school. According to the Department of Health and the HSE, the current phase is aimed at fifth- and sixth-year students, with a wider roll-out to second- to fifth-year pupils planned for the 2026/2027 school year.
The programme is designed for young people who missed their first opportunity to be vaccinated in first year. It will be delivered mainly through schools, and the HSE says the vaccine is available to both boys and girls. If a young person was home-educated and falls within the eligible age range, the vaccine can still be accessed for free through the HSE.
Public health officials say the timing matters because the vaccine works best when given before exposure to human papillomavirus, which can cause several cancers later in life. The Department of Health has said strengthening uptake is part of Ireland’s wider goal of making cervical cancer rare in the coming years and eliminating it as a public health problem by 2040. The HSE also continues to advise regular cervical screening through CervicalCheck for those aged 25 to 65.
The programme carries the name of Laura Brennan, whose campaigning helped change attitudes towards HPV vaccination in Ireland before she died from cervical cancer in 2019, aged 26. Her mother, Bernadette Brennan, has welcomed the extension, while HSE consultant Dr Lucy Jessop has said the catch-up drive gives young people who missed out another opportunity to be protected. Earlier phases of the scheme have already vaccinated thousands of eligible students, underlining how much demand there is when access is made simple and free.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
