Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 10 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 1

Written Answers - Vaccination Programme.

Denis Naughten

Question:

106 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children if, further to parliamentary replies of 20 March 2001, he has received a complete report from all health boards regarding the number of out-of-date polio vaccines administered and the number of vaccinations which will have to be re-administered; the current figures under both headings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13407/01]

Denis Naughten

Question:

107 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children if, further to parliamentary replies of 20 March 2001, he will indicate the number of children to whom polio vaccine must be re-administered and who have been contacted to date by each health board; the number of children who have been revaccinated; the number of children who have yet to be contacted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13408/01]

Denis Naughten

Question:

108 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children if, further to parliamentary replies of 20 March 2001, preliminary conclusions have been drawn as to the cause of the administration of out-of-date polio vaccine; the measures which the Department is putting in place to ensure that such a situation does not arise again; if he can guarantee to parents that such instances will not arise again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13409/01]

Denis Naughten

Question:

109 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children if, as a result of the disclosure that out-of-date polio vaccine was administered, his Department has requested health boards to review other vaccination programmes; if other similar incidents have occurred; if so, the numbers, vaccines and health boards involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13410/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 to 109, inclusive, together.

When this issue came to light, my Department requested the health boards to conduct a detailed examination of records in order to establish the extent to which the administration of oral polio vaccine after its expiry date had occurred in the period January 1998 to December 2000. The boards have not yet completed this exercise and I will provide the Deputy with a comprehensive report as soon as all relevant information has been received. The information provided to date suggests that in excess of 11,000 doses were administered out-of-date. Of this quantity approximately 5,000 doses were administered more than one month after their expiry date. It should be noted that in any one year period some 200,000 doses of oral polio vaccine are administered to approximately 100,000 children as part of the primary and booster childhood immunisation programmes.

I requested expert advice in relation to the safety and efficacy aspects of this issue from the immunisation advisory committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. The committee has advised that the efficacy of the vaccine is reduced if it is administered more than one month after the expiry date and that the vaccination should therefore be repeated in such cases. My Department wrote to the chief executive officers of the health boards advising them that parents of any children who received any dose of oral polio vaccine more than one month after its expiry date should be contacted and advised of the need to have the immunisation repeated. The health boards were asked to advise general practitioners and all other relevant health professionals of the situation. Health boards were requested to examine how the administration of out-of-date vaccines occurred and the measures which should be put in place to prevent a recurrence. This matter has also been brought to the attention of the Irish College of General Practitioners which has been asked to review the matter and to consider the development of protocols in respect of vaccine administration.

In view of the level of administration of oral polio vaccine after its expiry date my Department requested health boards to examine all childhood immunisation records to determine if children were given out-of-date vaccine. Health boards were asked to examine systems and procedures currently in place, identify shortcomings where these exist and put in place revised systems and procedures as a matter of urgency. They were also been asked to take appropriate measures in respect of vaccines administered from this point forward to ensure the validation of all key information, that is, patient name, batch number and expiry date by cross reference to registration and supply databases. Also, the chief executive officers of the health boards established a national immunisation steering committee, which is addressing a wide range of issues relating to the primary childhood immunisation programme. This will consider the protocols for administration of vaccines, whether new mechanisms need to be developed to guard against possible use of vaccine which has passed its expiry date, and ensure that vaccines are administered in accordance with best practice.