From time to time my Department receives inquiries from persons about batch numbers of three-in-one vaccine administered in the past. However, as my Department does not hold individual immunisation records, persons with inquiries are advised to contact their health board which may hold such records. I have made inquiries of the health boards as to the number of persons who have recently sought such information. The responses received from the boards to date are as follows:
Up to August 1998, 27 requests for information were received by the Eastern Regional Health Authority and in ten of these the batch number was available. A detailed search of all immunisation records would be required in order to ascertain if further requests have been received.
In the Midland Health Board region one case is ongoing in which it has not been possible to trace the child's immunisation record or the vaccine batch number involved in this case.
In the Mid-Western Health Board region approximately five persons are actively pursuing information.
In the North-Eastern Health Board region two requests for information were received, one of which is being actively pursued. Despite extensive searches, lot or batch numbers have not been traced.
In the North-Western Health Board region four requests for information were received in 1999 and the batch lot numbers could not be traced. There are no ongoing requests.
There are no active inquiries in the South-Eastern Health Board region.
There is one active request for information in the Southern Health Board region.
