Major concern has been expressed about the impact of social media campaigns and fake news when it comes to vaccination-associated risks.

According to the Irish Medical Organisation's (IMO) new president, Dr Ann Hogan, who oversees vaccination campaigns as part of her work, these campaigns are promoting non-existent risks and this is leading to declining vaccination rates.

She made specific reference to the HPV vaccine, which is offered to girls in their first year of secondary school.

Around 280 women in Ireland are diagnosed with cervical cancer and some 90 die from the disease every year in Ireland. HPV (human papillomavirus ) is the main cause of this type of cancer.

There are many types of HPV, most of which are harmless. However some strains can be serious, such as those that cause cervical cancer.

The national HPV vaccination programme has been in place since 2010 and as part of this, all girls attending first year in secondary school are offered the vaccine free of charge.

However, according to Dr Hogan, uptake rates for this vaccine ‘are declining to a worrying extent on the back of fake news stories about non-existent risks from vaccinations'.

"As a result, we are putting the future health of young women at risk of cervical cancer and other ailments," she insisted.

Dr Hogan made her comments during her inaugural speech as the new IMO president at the organisation's annual general meeting in Galway.