Immunisation programme may include vaccine

An extra baby vaccine which is causing controversy in Britain may be added by the Department of Health to Ireland's baby immunisation programme.

Babies already get two injections containing six vaccinations before they reach an age of six months. A spokeswoman for the Department confirmed last night that the National Immunisation Advisory Committee was examining the idea of adding a third jab to the general programme. It would protect babies against pneumococcal disease - the most common bacterial form of pneumonia, which can also lead to meningitis and septicaemia.

The decision to add this jab to the baby immunisation programme in Britain, announced on Tuesday, has given rise to concerns that parents there will not accept a third jab for their infants. The British Department of Health is concerned about the prospect of reigniting what it regards as the unfounded fears about "overloading" babies with vaccinations which arose particularly about the MMR vaccination.

Fears were raised that the MMR was linked to an increase in autism levels.

Currently immunisation guidelines recommend vaccination against pneumococcal disease for people at increased risk of it and its complications. These include people with severe dysfunction of the spleen, chronic renal disease, chronic heart or liver disease, sickle cell disease, and those aged 65 or over.

The Department spokeswoman said last night the Immunisation Advisory Committee kept the guidelines under constant review.

"In this context, the inclusion of pneumococcal vaccine in the general childhood immunisation programme is one issue which the committee is examining. No decision has yet been made."