Hansard

The Convener Lab

The next petition is PE1574, by Freda Birrell on behalf of the UK Association of HPV Vaccine Injured Daughters on human papillomavirus vaccine safety. Member...

Freda Birrell (UK Association of HPV Vaccine Injured Daughters)

His daughter has had a relapse.

The Convener Lab

I am sorry to hear that. Please pass on our regards. I will hand over to you, Mrs Birrell. You have five minutes or so to introduce the subject, and then we...

Freda Birrell

Thank you. On the off-chance, convener, I have brought a one-page summary relating to Lucy Hinks, copies of which are available if members would like to take...

The Convener Lab

Thank you. We will have a look at that.

Freda Birrell

I thank the committee for allowing me to provide additional information relating to my request for a round-table discussion to be held in Edinburgh between s...

The Convener Lab

Thank you very much. Chic, do you want to come in at this point?

Chic Brodie (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP

Thank you, convener. In the past two-and-a-half years since I initially met Freda Birrell and others who are involved, I have done some personal research on ...

The Convener Lab

Thanks very much. I want to ask a direct question, Mrs Birrell. Who should call the round-table together? Whose responsibility should it be to invite people...

Freda Birrell

I would like to think that, after listening to what I have said and perhaps asking many more questions and getting more evidence, the committee will be influ...

Chic Brodie SNP

When I had the privilege of being a member of this committee, we dealt more widely with the issue of mesh implants. After what Freda Birrell has said, it mig...

Angus MacDonald SNP

Good morning, Mrs Birrell. The committee quite recently considered a petition from Jamie Rae on behalf of the Throat Cancer Foundation that called on the Sco...

Freda Birrell

In Australia and America, boys are included on the programme. I am not quite sure, but there is a possibility of it happening in New Zealand, and I am aware ...

Angus MacDonald SNP

But there is evidence.

Freda Birrell

Yes. I know of one particular family in America whose twin son and daughter were vaccinated at the same time. Both of them were taken seriously ill and devel...

Angus MacDonald SNP

Thank you.

Jackson Carlaw Con

Good morning. Mrs Birrell and I have met on a number of occasions over the years, and I applaud her for the focus that she has brought to this issue. It is ...

Freda Birrell

In February 2014, Japan held a round-table discussion over two-and-a-half days. There was a symposium to begin with and then scientists and doctors from both...

Jackson Carlaw Con

Sorry, but may I interrupt? I think that I get the drift. Presumably, however, the fact that those discussions have taken place in those other legislatures w...

Freda Birrell

I would not be happy if there was no progress. The reason why I say that is that somebody has to realise that young girls worldwide—in Scotland as well—are i...

Jackson Carlaw Con

I understand the perseverance with which you have approached the issue, Ms Birrell. You are convinced, from the body of evidence to which you have been expos...

Freda Birrell

Yes.

Jackson Carlaw Con

So the issue at hand is really the Scottish Government’s attitude to the vaccine.

David Birrell

The real issue is to get these girls properly treated.

Freda Birrell

Yes—I have said that. As David says, my main issue is to get these girls properly treated. One of the things that I and many of my colleagues have discovered...

Jackson Carlaw Con

As I recall, you had the father of one of these girls present in the Parliament at a cross-party round-table discussion that took place.

Freda Birrell

That is correct.

Jackson Carlaw Con

So that is the secondary thing. Your concern is the attitude to the vaccine and also the appropriate treatment of those people who have been adversely affect...

Freda Birrell

It is, and it is to ask why this is happening. It may not be happening to all, but why is this happening to a good portion of the young people in this countr...

Jackson Carlaw Con

No. I said that, coincident with the time since the vaccine was introduced, there has been a fall in the number of people who have cervical cancer. I was not...