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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 24 Feb 2000

Vol. 515 No. 2

Other Questions. - Organ Retention Inquiry.

Michael Creed

Question:

12 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will report on his recent meetings with a group (details supplied); and the steps, if any, he has taken arising from these meetings. [4893/00]

Question:

27 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a full statement concerning recent claims that an organ retention scheme was in place in a Dublin hospital without knowledge or prior consent from the parents of children who had died; if he has considered the establishment of an independent public inquiry on this matter; and the meetings, if any, he has had to date with parent representatives. [4894/00]

Dick Spring

Question:

29 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Health and Children his Department's policy and procedure in relation to the retention of organs and tissue after a post mortem examination of a person (details supplied) which took place in Tralee General Hospital in 1993. [4902/00]

John Browne

Question:

39 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Health and Children the length of time brain tissue and pituitary glands of deceased children were furnished by Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Childred, Crumlin, to a pharmaceutical company without parental consent; the number of deceased children affected; the financial benefits received by the hospital; the name of the company concerned; and the arrangements made for the holding of the inquiry announced by him on 9 February 2000. [4880/00]

Alan Shatter

Question:

139 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the length of time brain tissue and pituitary glands of deceased children were furnished by Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, to a pharmaceutical company without parental consent; the number of deceased children affected; the financial benefits received by the hospital; the name of the company concerned; and the arrangements made for the holding of the inquiry announced by him on 9 February 2000. [5606/00]

Alan Shatter

Question:

148 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any he has to broaden the proposed inquiry into the retention of organs, glands and tissue of deceased children and their disposal without parental consent by Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12, to an inquiry into retentions and disposals without appropriate consents by all hospitals. [5617/00]

Olivia Mitchell

Question:

189 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will extend the investigation of organ retention at Our Lady's Hospital For Sick Children, Crumlin, to cover organ retention procedures at Holles Street Hospital in view of the fact it appears it was a common practice. [5755/00]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 27, 29, 39, 139, 148 and 189 together.

The authorities at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, have informed me that for many years there was no medical treatment for the condition commonly known as short stature. In the early 1960s a growth hormone was developed in the United States using human pituitary gland as a source. Pharmaceutical companies were involved in the development and a national pituitary agency was set up in the USA to make the manufacture of growth hormone and prepare it for injection. In Ireland hospitals were involved in the effort to avail of this growth hormone product, there being no other way to treat children with this condition other than the pituitary gland derived product at that time.

The hospital understands that a significant number of glands were required to produce a small amount of the product and that the treatment to children involved multiple injections over a lengthy period of time. Development in genetics in or about 1985 allowed that human growth hormone could be produced without extracting the material from the pituitary gland. The hospital also understands that about the same time health concerns arose in relation to the growth hormone product from the pituitary gland. The hospital has confirmed that there is an indication in correspondence located in its laboratory that the laboratory participated in this process of extracting pituitary glands which were then supplied to a pharmaceutical company called Kabi Vitrum to produce growth hormone for the treatment of children.

Between June 1980 and November 1981 a contribution towards the cost of the work of extracting the glands was made by the pharmaceutical company in question. The contribution identified is £109.50 which was payable to the Children's Research Centre; however the correspondence does not indicate the number of pituitary glands supplied to the company or the number of deceased children affected by this procedure.

The remainder of my reply is identical to the reply to Questions Nos. 1 and 2 and relates to the establishment of an inquiry which will examine specific cases in any hospital where it deems appropriate. A number of the questions relate to different hospitals.

This matter was dealt with in Priority Questions. I exhort the Minister to establish the inquiry as quickly as possible and clarify its terms of reference and whether it will be statutory.

I intend to do that following consultation with the parties involved.

Apart from the trauma of organs, tissue and pituitary glands being removed without parental consent, does the Minister acknowledge that the information which has become available raises concerns about the record keeping capacity of hospitals? It is necessary to ensure that proper records are maintained and collated over a period of years. Will the Minister indicate what instructions, if any, have emanated from his Department since this upsetting issue arose to ensure our hospitals are maintaining better and more accurate records than previously? Does the Minister acknowledge that it is not acceptable that the remains of a baby born in 1980 cannot be traced by St. James' Hospital? Has the Minister investigated how this occurred?

I accept that record keeping is essential and past record keeping appears to be at issue. When the initial questions were tabled by Deputies John Browne and John McGuinness, the hospital in question made the records available to the departmental official who made the inquiry. The hospital was not reluctant in making the correspondence available, which highlighted the retention of pituitary glands and so on. I know from meetings with Parents for Justice and officials, that records for the past 30 or 40 years are not comprehensive. I could not put my hand on my heart and state that every hospital could produce records going back that far.

We have discussed the establishment of an inquiry with the chief executives of the health boards and ensuring that records are up to date. We must also ensure that health boards and hospitals have technological resources to enable them have proper data collection capacity. This is critical not only as regards records but in terms of formulating informed policy responses. Data collection and storage in the health system need to be significantly improved. The 1980s case is not acceptable. The inquiry will take all these matters on board.

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