Family fails in plea for blood test inquiry

HEALTH Minister Micheál Martin does not plan to investigate how blood samples taken from a family suffering from mystery illnesses were lost by the health authorities.

The Geoghegan family from Askeaton, Co Limerick, gave pathology samples to the Mid Western Health Board (MWHB) to help unravel a spate of health problems in the area.

However, all but two of the samples were lost by the health board.

During a meeting with the Geoghegans in Leinster House, Mr Martin said he was satisfied with the internal investigation carried out by the MWHB in 2001.

He did offer to have the Geoghegans tested independently by medical experts but the family rejected it.

A spokesperson for the minister said he will look again at a number of concerns raised by the Geoghegans.

“We are very disappointed. We will continue to try and get this fully examined because that’s the only way we can get to the bottom of it,” Pat

Geoghegan said. He also called on the elected members of the MWHB to

resign. He said that all officials

involved in the controversy should be reinvestigated immediately.

In March 2001, the MWHB apologised to the Geoghegans and admitted the samples were lost by a combination of “human and system error”. The Geoghegan family, Pat, 40, Nuala, 39, Amanda, 10, Meghan, two, became ill in 1997.

Families in the area say cancer rates in Askeaton are three times above the national average but the MWHB said these findings were inaccurate. The family was hit by chronic fatigue, stomach pain and a severe skin rash and provided the MWHB with more than 20 blood, urine, hair and nasal swab samples.