TWO mourning parents yesterday told the Department of Health that it should admit its mistake when things went wrong in mass immunisation programmes.
Mr Kevin Duffy and Mrs Vera Duffy, parents of 22 year old Alan, who died on Sunday, made their point dramatically by routing his funeral past the Department to hand in a letter of protest. His death followed over 21 years of illness, which they believe was brought on by a routine vaccination.
Earlier yesterday, the family was comforted by friends at Requiem Mass in St Anthony's Church, Clontarf, where Alan's coffin was placed in front of the crib and beside the Christmas tree.
His mother, who is chairwoman of the Parents of Vaccine Damaged Children Association, said the family's legal action against the Department had died with Alan on Sunday. She was not against mass vaccination programmes but when there were complications and things went wrong the Department should take responsibility.
"I know that mass immunisation programmes may be humanitarian but when mistakes are made it is not good enough to leave the victims to their own resources," she said.
The family had mourned for years she said. Alan received his first vaccination when he was nine months old. He then began getting infantile spasms. The cause was not known at the time.
"His muscles were wasting away. His body was destroyed although his face remained beautiful."
When he was 13 he started suffering epileptic fits and the family could no longer cater for him at home. He was put into St Micheal's Home, Ballymun. A younger child, Rena, then became ill with cancer and died.
The parents' association took Alan to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where a consultant concluded that vaccination was strongly suspected as being responsible for his condition.
The association, representing 38 families who suspected their children were similarly damaged, fought for compensation but was opposed by the Department of Health.
The then Minister, Mr Brendan Corish, set up a tribunal to examine the issue. Ninety three eases went to be assessed by the tribunal and in 16 eases £10,000 was paid in settlement. The Duffys refused to go to the tribunal.
Like another family, the Bests from Cork, they pursued the issue through the courts. The Bests, in 1992, received a £2.75 million award from the courts. The Duffys had hoped to get Alan's case to the High Court before the end of this year.
On New Year's Eve Alan died peacefully at the Mater Hospital. All the torture was gone from his face, Mrs Duffy said. "He is gone to a better place."
The Duffys' cause was supported by the Fianna Fail spokesman on law reform, Mr Willie O'Dea. A proper no fault" compensation package was needed to cater for the rare cases where a vaccine damaged the health of a young child, he said. The Department of Health should also issue full information on any vaccines suspected of causing damage to children.
Parents of vaccine damaged children faced almost insurmountable problems in getting their cases into court and obtaining compensation he said.