Page 8 -News

Boots Ireland is First Pharmacy in Ireland to Offer HPV Vaccinations

Boots Ireland have become the first pharmacy chain in Ireland to offer HPV vaccinations when the new service launched in 14 pharmacies nationwide. The vaccine is now available to customers who are not covered by the national immunisation programme and can be booked online via www.boots.ie/hpv.

Caoimhe McAuley, MPSI, Director of Pharmacy and Superintendent Pharmacist at Boots Ireland

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of more than 100 viruses that causes 1 in 20 cancers worldwide. Most people will contract HPV at some stage in their lives, with it being most common amongst people in their late teens and early 20s. Each year in Ireland HPV causes more than 400 cases of cancer in both men and women.

Boots Ireland pharmacies offering HPV vaccinations include:

• Cork, Half Moon Street

• Dublin, Blanchardstown Shopping Centre

• Dublin, Donnybrook

• Dublin, Grafton Street

• Dublin, Jervis Shopping Centre

• Dublin, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre

• Dublin, Omni Shopping Centre

• Donegal, Letterkenny Retail Park

• Galway, Shop Street

• Limerick, Childers Road

• Louth, Dundalk

• Kildare, Maynooth

• Wicklow, Bray

• Westmeath, Athlone Golden Island Shopping Centre

Stephen Watkins, Managing Director of Boots Ireland, commented, “We are incredibly proud to be announcing the rollout of the HPV vaccination service in 14 of our pharmacies nationwide from 23rd February. At Boots Ireland, we are always looking for new ways to support our customers by offering them access to innovative services and products and being the first pharmacy in the country to offer the HPV vaccine is an example of this effort. Vaccination against HPV plays an important role in the prevention of different forms of cancer amongst the male and female population and we are delighted to be able to play our part in reducing the burden that cancer can have on the individual and society.”

New appointment at McGreals Health

McGreals Health has announced the appointment of Derek Palmer to the position of Account Manager for the Novaerus by McGreals Health brand. The McGreals Group is headquartered in Blessington, Wicklow, and operates 11 pharmacy outlets as well as a primary care centre in the Leinster area.

Derek Palmer, Account Manager for the Novaerus by

McGreals Health brand

In his new position, Derek will be focused on growing sales of the Novaerus range of air disinfection devices to support a rapidly growing national client base. He will manage strategic sales development across sectors including corporate, education, hospitality and retail, as well as supporting the wider McGreals and Novaerus teams.

Prior to his role at McGreals Health, Derek held the position of Key Account Executive and Business Development Manager across the Diageo portfolio of brands for 28 years, working with major accounts in the licensed trade. His expertise expands to national sales, trade marketing, product launches, brand and event management and sponsorship.

Cervical Screening Decline

New research conducted by Besins Healthcare has revealed that one quarter of women (25%) aged 45 – 65 who are experiencing perimenopause or the menopause are not regularly attending cervical screening appointments.

13% of women noted that participation in cervical screening actually reduced when going through the menopause. When asked why their participation decreased, 35% of women reported that they found their cervical screening to be more painful or uncomfortable as a result of changes in their vaginal health. 17% of menopausal women believe that they are no longer eligible to attend screenings and 12% believe that as they could no longer get pregnant, screening was not required – both of which are incorrect.

These findings demonstrate that there are some misconceptions regarding the need for cervical screening when reaching the menopause and beyond.

Dr Caoimhe Hartley, GP and owner of Menopause Health said, “The menopause brings about many changes for women and thankfully more awareness and understanding of these symptoms has come about in recent years. However, what this research serves to highlight is that the menopause is leading to a decline in regular cervical screening which could lead to increased mortality if they were to develop cervical cancer at this stage of life. With approximately half of women going through perimenopause or the menopause experiencing vaginal atrophy, and 35% of women claiming that the screening is more painful or uncomfortable as a result, it is understandable why they may decline to participate in a cervical screen, but there are a range of ways to make the experience more comfortable.”

In Ireland, about 300 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and 90 women will die from it. Yet, 90% of cases can be identified and treated in a simple outpatient procedure if caught early.