Gay Mitchell
Ceist:233 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the use of a drug (details supplied). [5535/01]
Written Answers. - Vaccination Programme.
I have been advised by the Irish Medicines Board that there is no thiomersal in any of the vaccines used in the primary vaccination scheme. The use of thiomersal in vaccines has been considered on a number of occasions by the scientific committee of the European medicines evaluation agency in which the Irish Medicines Board participates. In July 1999 the committee recommended that all medicinal products containing thiomersal be required to state in the patient information leaflet that "This medicinal product contains Thiomersal as a preservative and it is possible that you/your child may experience an allergic reaction" and "Tell your doctor if you/your child has any known allergies". Companies were required by the Irish Medicines Board to implement this statement by the end of June 2000.
In addition, the biotechnology working party of the committee for proprietary medicinal products has recently – 16 November 2000 CPMP/BWP/2517 – issued a consultation document entitled Points to consider the reduction, elimination or substitution of thiomersal in vaccines. This document has been released for consultation with a deadline for comments of February 2001 and encourages authorisation holders to reduce, eliminate or substitute thiomersal. It is recognised that this is a complex task which may require additional clinical studies before it can be implemented. I am awaiting the outcome of these consultations.