Nearly 300 people are known to have received vaccine from the batch used in the immunisation of Kenneth Best, according to the Minister for Health, Mr Martin.
In 1992 the Supreme Court found the Wellcome Foundation liable for the disability of Kenneth Best, who had been immunised in 1969. Information about the usage of vaccine from the batch has been placed on the Department of Health website at http://www.doh.ie, Mr Martin said. Vaccine from the batch was administered to 183 people in the Mid-Western Health Board, 107 in the Southern Health Board, and three each in the North-Western and Western Health Boards.
The Minister said it was reasonable to assume it was used more widely but that the records were no longer available or did not contain the necessary information. The vaccine may, in some cases, have been administered after its expiry date. The health boards concerned have been asked to contact those who received the product.