Children given vaccines found

An investigation into reports that children were given animal vaccines in the early 1970s has identified two children whose injection batch numbers were the same as those of the cattle vaccines.

However, GlaxoSmithKline, the successor to the Wellcome Foundation, which manufactured the Tribovax-T cattle vaccine, believes a "transcription error is highly possible".

The Minister of State for Health, Ms Mary Hanafin, said that at the time "one child experienced a localised reaction in his arm and vomited for 24 hours. The other child had no reaction."

She said there was "no evidence at this stage that other children are involved. However, investigations are continuing."

Ms Hanafin stressed that the company was undertaking a "fuller review" but another report was expected at the end of July. The Irish Medicines Board and the Eastern Regional Health Authority were continuing their own investigations.

The company said in its initial report to the Department of Health that the batch numbers for the cattle vaccine were similar to the numbers for the Trivax vaccine for children.

Mr Denis Naughten (FG, Longford-Roscommon) said the details of where the batches were manufactured and sent were recorded. He suggested this was unusual "given that this is the first time the Wellcome Foundation has admitted it recorded where vaccine batches were sent". Ministers had previously stated that the company did not have such records, he said.

The Minister said the company that was Wellcome was now GlaxoSmithKline, a completely new company. It "has given every assurance that it is committed to co-operating fully with the investigation and giving all information at its disposal."

Labour's Health spokeswoman, Ms Liz McManus, asked if the children's parents had been contacted, but the Minister said that "at the time there was no question of any irregularity so there would have been no need for the parents to be told. Even today we cannot confirm that there was an irregularity. Of course, neither can we confirm that there was not. That is why the investigation must continue."