'Compensate kids damaged by no TB jab'

[Posted: Tue 17/11/2009 by Niall Hunter, Editor]

Child health experts have warned that the Government may have to pay compensation to children in Cork who developed TB in 2007 as a result of the lack of routine BCG vaccination in the area.

The Faculty of Paediatrics has said a Department of Health-appointed advisory group may need to consider compensation for children who have been been infected with diseases preventable by immunisation, in areas of the country where routine immunisation has not or is not offered by the HSE.

In a submission to the Vaccine Damage Steering Group, the Faculty says the starkest example of this is the 2007 outbreak of TB in south Cork city.

Until recently, Cork was the only county in the country where the BCG vaccine against TB was not administered routinely to infants.

After a major outbreak of TB in Cork city in the spring of 2007, the HSE announced that routine BCG vaccination of infants would recommence.

However, a recruitment ban in the HSE led to delays in introducing routine BCG vaccination and there were waiting lists for the vaccine reported well into 2008.

Now, the HSE and Department of Health has been urged to compensate families affected by the 2007 TB outbreak.

The Faculty of Paediatrics report says children affected by the 2007 outbreak may have lifelong health issues relating to the HSE's BCG policy in Cork that is at variance with national and international practice.

The Faculty also says parents who opt not to immunise their children must accept responsibility for any complications of specific illnesses that their un-immunised children may experience.

The Faculty's submission said any adverse consequences of immunisation, for which the steering group may consider compensating families, should be significant and long-lasting, leading to altered expectations of life experiences for the child involved.

The Steering Group has recommended that Government should set up a no-fault compensation payment scheme for those who have been affected by serious adverse reactions from vaccinations.

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Teddie  Posted: 18/11/2009 13:16

Again the tax payer will foot the bill and lead to an even worse situation due to decreased funds. Was there a reason the parents couldnt take their children to a doctor and have the drug administered? These children have my sympathy of course, but surely the health is the responsibility of the parents at the end of the day? We get our pets vaccinated without the government footing the bill. If it was my child,they would have been vaccinated and I'm sure, I would have grumbled about the cost of course. Then I would have signed the petitions to get it free in Cork etc etc... But the child would be safe.

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