Sir, – Ciara Considine (October 18th) states that no "genuinely independent investigation of the HPV vaccine" has occurred. There have been so many genuinely independent studies of the safety and efficacy of HPV vaccines over the last 20 years that two "meta-analyses" of these studies could be performed in 2011, which considered the results of seven clinical trials, and in 2014, which reviewed no fewer than 15 separate, independent studies.
Similarly, in November 2015 the European Medicines Agency published the results of a major review of the safety of HPV vaccines, including Gardasil and Cervarix.
All concluded that the vaccines are safe and effective.
Anti-vaccine campaigners continue to deny the existence of this enormous body of evidence, continue to ignore numerous peer-reviewed papers on the subject, and continue to deny incontrovertible proof. Adding one further study will not lead to a Damascene conversion.
Ms Considine is correct that “further investigations will doubtless occur”. And doubtless their results will be ignored by those anti-vaccine campaigners who have no interest in acknowledging the overwhelming scientific evidence. – Yours, etc,
BARRY FLANAGAN,
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.