Martin 'unaware' of alleged child mis-vaccination

The Minister for Health has insisted his department was not aware of claims that children may have been injected with an animal vaccine in 1973.

Reports today suggested that Irish babies were inadvertently given the vaccine instead of a three-in-one childhood drug.

In a short statement, Minister Micheal Martin denied any knowledge of the alleged mix-up.

He also said that preliminary inquiries show that neither the National Drugs Advisory Board nor the Eastern Regional Health Board were aware of the claims.

Minister Martin added that if there was any mistake, the blame for it lay with pharmaceutical company Wellcome, as it was during trials the company conducted that the incidents are alleged to have occurred.

He has requested the company, now named Glaxo-Wellcome, make a statement on the claims and provide any information possible to allay concerns.