Vol. 533 No. 2
107 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he proposes to immediately introduce immunisation smart cards as a result of the revelation that 4,500 out of date polio vaccines were administered to children; and his views on the Irish Medical Organisation's proposal that these smart cards should be introduced immediately. [8478/01]
In view of the level of administration of oral polio vaccine after its expiry date my Department has requested health boards to examine all childhood immunisation records to determine if children were given out of date vaccine.
Health boards have also been asked to take appropriate measures in respect of vaccines administered from this point forward to ensure the validation of all key information i.e. patient name, batch number and expiry date by cross reference to registration and supply databases.
Additionally, health boards have been requested to examine how the administration of out of date vaccines occurred and the measures which should be put in place to prevent a recurrence. This matter has also been brought to the attention of the Irish College of General Practitioners who have been asked to review the matter and to consider the development of protocols in respect of vaccine administration.
In view of this incident, health boards have been asked to examine systems and procedures currently in place, identify shortcomings where these exist and put in place revised systems or procedures as a matter of urgency.
In addition, the chief executive officers of the health boards have established a national immunisation steering committee, which is addressing a wide range of issues relating to the primary childhood immunisation programme. This will include consideration of the protocols for administration of vaccines, whether new mechanisms need to be developed to guard against possible use of vaccine which has passed its expiry date and to ensure that vaccines are administered in accordance with best practice. My Department has, to date, not received a proposal from the Irish Medical Organisation regarding the introduction of immunisation smart cards but such a proposal will of course be considered by the committee.
