Deirdre Clune
Question:628 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children the uptake rate for the polio, MMR, three in one and meningitis vaccines in all health board areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1548/01]
Written Answers. - Vaccination Programme.
The immunisation uptake rates for DTP, Hib, Polio and MMR vaccines for the quarter ended 30 September 2000 in respect of each health board, as provided by the National Disease Surveillance Centre, is as follows:
|
Health Board |
Vaccine |
% uptake |
|
Eastern Regional Health Authority (Eastern Health Board up to 1 March, 2000) |
DTP/DTHibPolioMMR |
84.884.184.880.8 |
|
Midland |
DTP/DTHibPolioMMR |
80.580.280.274.5 |
|
Mid-Western |
DTP/DTHibPolioMMR |
82.982.383.078.2 |
|
North-Eastern |
DTP/DTHibPolioMMR |
94.994.994.978.8 |
|
North-Western |
DTP/DTHibPolioMMR |
83.482.883.371.6 |
|
South-Eastern |
DTP/DTHibPolioMMR |
90.990.490.991.9 |
|
Southern |
DTP/DTHibPolioMMR |
85.585.384.677.3 |
|
Health Board |
Vaccine |
% uptake |
|
Western |
DTP/DTHibPolioMMR |
92.291.792.185.1 |
Meningococcal C immunisation programme commenced in October 2000. Phase 1 of the programme is targeting children under five years and young persons aged 15-18 years. While it is as yet too early to establish the precise level of uptake being achieved in relation to the Meningococcal C vaccine, preliminary indications are that uptake is generally good. Uptake in the third level population is not satisfactory, however, and new initiatives to target this group are being developed.
Primary immunisation uptake still falls short of the target. Special efforts are being made with the health boards to achieve the national target of 95%. The health boards are in the process of establishing a special group to develop strategies to address the problems on a national basis.
With regard to MMR immunisation, the health boards intensified their MMR immunisation programmes following the measles outbreak – more than 1,500 cases – which occurred in 2000. Among the efforts made in this regard were: the identification and follow-up of children who have not been immunised; the targeting of black spots and vulnerable groups; requesting general practitioners to make special efforts to promote this vaccine to parents; contacting parents, schools and pre-schools to emphasise the importance of this vaccination; national and local media awareness campaigns on MMR vaccination.
There is some public concern about the MMR vaccine and this is felt to be a significant factor in the unsatisfactory uptake. All of the expert advice available indicates that the MMR vaccine is safe and effective and that there is no evidence of a causal relationship between the MMR vaccine and either chronic inflammatory bowel disease or autism. This is supported by a number of well-validated studies on this issue.
I would like to take this opportunity to urge parents to immunise their children, which is free of charge from their family doctor. This will ensure that individual children and the population generally have maximum protection against the diseases concerned.
Deirdre Clune
Question:629 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps being taken to ensure the safety of vaccine products; his views on whether the current procedures are adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1549/01]
The Medicinal Products (Licensing and Sale) Regulations, 1998, which give effect to EU Council Directive 65/65/EEC, require that all medicinal products (including vaccines) placed on the market in this country must be the subject of product authorisations granted by the Irish Medicines Board. Before the board will grant an authorisation, it must be satisfied as to the safety, quality and efficacy of the product concerned.
Suspected adverse reactions to medicinal products, including vaccines used in vaccination programmes, are reported on an ongoing basis by medical practitioners and other health-care professions, that is, doctors, nurses etc. to the Irish Medicines Board. Where suspected adverse reactions come to the notice of the pharmaceutical companies concerned they are also obliged to report the matter to the board. All adverse reaction reports received by the board are examined by its pharmacovigilance unit on an ongoing basis and if any concerns are identified, appropriate action is taken.
The procedures and requirements for the control of vaccines, as medicinal products, in this country are in conformity with the current procedures and requirements that are in place for such products in other EU Member States. These procedures, in addition to the ongoing review of adverse reaction reports, require the renewal of the relevant product authorisations every five years when the advances in scientific knowledge and other new information that may have become available, are taken into account in the course of the renewal process.
I am therefore satisfied that those procedures in place to ensure the safety of vaccine products are satisfactory at the present time.