No warning on polio vaccine, says doctor

A doctor told the High Court she was "absolutely sure" people bringing babies for polio vaccination in 1994 were not given a warning that all non-immunised contacts of that child should be vaccinated at the same time.

The problem with giving such a warning in Ireland then was the "utter unworkability" of it, said Dr Br∅d Hollywood, a practising GP, who is controller of an immunisation course for medical students in Trinity College Dublin.

She said a Department of Health working group on immunisation had, in a report in 1994, not even considered giving that particular warning. The group's report had led to the immunisation system being moved to general practitioners with an aim of achieving 95 per cent vaccination take-up.

Dr Hollywood said a number of matters caused a crisis in immunisation in the early 1990s. In her view, the level of effective uptake-up of the oral polio vaccine by 1993 was too low at about 40 per cent.

Dr Hollywood was being cross-examined at the resumption of an action by Mr Anthony Blanche (42), of Ballybrittas, Co Laois, who has alleged negligence against the Midland Health Board and Dr Fergus McKeagney, arising from Mr Blanche's contracting polio following the vaccination of his daughter in 1994. The case continues today.