Vol. 408 No. 4
160 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the studies or research which has been carried out on children who have been damaged as a result of the whooping cough vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
In November, 1977 the then Minister for Health established an expert medical group to examine persons who it was claimed had been permanently damaged by whooping cough vaccination, to review the medical information available to them and indicate whether, in their opinion, the damage was attributable to the vaccination. In the majority of cases examined by the expert medical group, no link was established with whooping cough vaccination. In the small number of cases where the expert group was satisfied that a reasonable doubt existed, compensation was paid to the families concerned.
