Vol. 574 No. 5
209 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Health and Children the position in relation to the allocation of tetanus vaccines to doctors for patients in the South Western Area Health Board; if patients can order this from the health board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27794/03]
The immunisation advisory committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, RCPI, in its most recent guidelines in 2002, advise that Td, tetanus plus low dose diphtheria, is now recommended as a replacement for tetanus only boosters for adults and children aged over ten years. I have been advised that there are sufficient supplies of this vaccine available and that general practitioners may source this product directly from the supplier in the normal way. For children under ten years, tetanus vaccine is included in the four in one and five in one vaccines provided under the childhood immunisation programme.
