Polio man drops action against one doctor

A man who contracted polio after his infant daughter received the oral polio vaccine OPV has withdrawn "without reservation" allegations of negligence against one of two doctors against whom he had taken proceedings.

At the High Court yesterday, Mr Turlough O'Donnell SC, for Mr Anthony Blanche, withdrew the action against Dr Charles McKeagney, with a practice at Main Street, Portarlington.

Mr Blanche's action against the Midland Health Board and Dr Fergus McKeagney, also with a practice at Main Street, Portarlington, is proceeding.

A father of three of Ballybrittas, Co Laois, Mr Blanche alleges he contracted polio in 1994 after his daughter Isabel received the OPV. He was never vaccinated for polio and he claims he was never, and should have been, warned there was a risk of contact paralysis to non-immunised contacts of OPV recipients. The defendants deny negligence and have alleged contributory negligence.