Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 Feb 1993

Vol. 426 No. 7

Written Answers. - Pertussis Vaccination

Michael Bell

Ceist:

242 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Health the result of the investigation by an expert medical group set up in 1982 to examine the case of the administration of Triple Antigen Vaccine in 1973 in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; if he will make the full report available to Members of Dáil Éireann or if he will make it available to the parents of this person or his legal representatives; the reason no reply was given to the letter of 28 September 1992 addressed to the secretary of his Department from a firm of solicitors acting on behalf of this person and his family; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

An Expert Medical Group was established in 1977 to examine cases of possible adverse reactions to the pertussis vaccination.

In the course of their deliberations the Group collected information on cases brought to their attention. This information included, in some cases, the batch number of the vaccine given. However, I would not feel it appropriate for me to release any information obtained by the group as it was obtained solely for the purpose of their investigations. This was conveyed to the solicitors acting for the person on a number of occasions in 1985.

The specific information being sought in the case raised by the Deputy was not made available to the Group and this has been conveyed to the solicitors acting on his behalf in reply to the letter of 28 September 1992.