By Donal Hickey

MANY parents whose children were given an ineffective vaccination against TB are seriously concerned their children may have been put at risk. Up to 30,000 people, mainly children, are at present being recalled for follow-up tests or revaccination, having previously received a weakened form of the BCG vaccine.

Some are not sure if they will agree to another vaccination.

One set of parents, Domnick and Ann Walsh, yesterday said they would first be consulting their family doctor on whether their only child, Donald, aged two, should be given a second vaccination.

"We're still worried about the possible effects of the original vaccine. Could it be harmful to our child's health? We're now told the bacteria in that vaccine wasn't strong enough," Mr Walsh said.

"We'll also be asking if another injection could be harmful. We're just uneasy about the whole thing and are wondering if this could be the start of something like another blood scandal.

"When one considers that, in recent years, defective vaccines for other diseases were also administered to children, it reduces your confidence in the whole system," he said.

The Walshs, from Kerins Park, Tralee, Co Kerry, have been asked by the Southern Health Board to bring Donald to Tralee General Hospital on Monday next for a screening check to establish whether the vaccine had been effective.

The check will involve an initial examination of the arm where the vaccine was given and if necessary a simple skin test to see if the vaccine was effective.

If it is medically decided that the vaccine was ineffective, repeat BCG vaccination will be offered.

The Walshs, who tried for 13 years to have a child before conceiving Donald through IVF, said they would be guided by their own family doctor.

Health authorities have already confirmed that a BCG vaccine given mostly to infants over a two-year period was not strong enough, placing them at risk of contracting TB.

The Irish Medicines Board has said there is no cause for alarm.

Health Minister Micheál Martin has urged parents to continue to have confidence in the State's vaccination programmes, stressing the importance of immunising children against various diseases.