HC Deb 07 February 1978 vol 943 cc1210-2
1. Mr. Silvester

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received concerning the use of whooping-cough vaccine; and if he will make a statement.

The Secretary of State for Social Services (Mr. David Ennals)

I have had no recent representations, but the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has now confirmed its full support for the continued use of whooping-cough vaccination. On the basis of its advice—details of which I will circulate in the Official Report—my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have decided to go ahead next month with publicity which will tell parents about the benefits and risks of the basic vaccinations offered to children, including vaccination against whooping-cough. This publicity will, we hope, help to remove parents' doubts.

Mr. Silvester

As I understand that the Secretary of State has conceded the principle of compensation in advance of the Pearson Report, why can he not make a statement on that matter?

Mr. Ennals

That is a different question. I announced that I would make a statement, that there would be legislation, and that it would follow the Pearson Report. We do not yet know the date of publication of the report, but the question of compensation is receiving urgent attention within the Department. If the hon. Gentleman tables a Question, I shall give him a more detailed reply.

Mr. Ashley

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Committee on Safety of Medicines has warned him not to publicise the whooping-cough vaccine and that although he heeded that warning local medical officers of health are urging parents to use the vaccine, despite the dramatic fall in the death rate from whooping-cough? Whose advice should parents follow—that of local medical officers of health or that of the Committee on Safety of Medicines?

Mr. Ennals

In June the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation issued a report on whooping-cough vaccine which fully supported the continued use of the vaccine. It has now confirmed that conclusion. Its conclusion is in no way contrary to any attitude taken by the Committee on Safety of Medicines.

Mr. Adley

The Secretary of State must be aware, because the Attorney-General has announced it in a Written Answer, that the Pearson Committee has completed its work. Why is he delaying the publication of the report? Is he not aware that as long as publication is delayed great uncertainty continues among parents on the question whether they are eligible for compensation?

Mr. Ennals

I am certainly not delaying publication of the report. We have not yet received it. I have given the House an assurance, which I confirm now, that the Government will take early action to introduce legislation dealing with compensation for vaccine-damaged children.

Miss Joan Lestor

In making his pronouncements about the alleged safety of the whooping-cough vaccine, has my right hon. Friend investigated the findings of Professor Stewart of Glasgow and Dr. John Wilson of Great Ormond Street? How will my right hon. Friend establish which children have been brain-damaged as a result of use of the vaccine, when it has been in use for many years?

Mr. Ennals

It has indeed been in use for many years. The information from Professor Stewart is at the disposal of, and has been studied by, the Joint Committee and the Committee on Safety of Medicines. There is nothing new in that information.

Dr. Vaughan

The right hon. Gentleman knows of the great anxiety felt by parents of vaccine-damaged children. Surely he can be a little more explicit about his ideas for dealing with these unfortunate people and tell the House whether he is having any discussions to see whether a simpler and more effective procedure can be used than was applied for thalidomide children?

Mr. Ennals

I have made clear to the House, and I repeat my promise, that I shall introduce an early measure which will deal with compensation for vaccine-damaged children. I shall want to make it as simple as it can be, but there are difficulties, and I shall report them to the House.

Following is the information: The Secretary of State for Social Services informed the House on 21st November 1977—[Vol. 939, c. 452–453]—that he had asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation:
  1. (a) when the National Childhood Encephalopathy Study was likely to be completed;
  2. (b) whether any new material had come to light which made it desirable for further advice to be given to members of the medical and nursing professions, and if so, what its content should be; and requested the Committee
  3. (c) to comment on the form and content of material about vaccination to be made available to the public, so that it fully reflected the latest available information about vaccination against whooping-cough and other serious infectious diseases, including both the benefits and the risks.

2. The Joint Committee's replies to the requests at (a) and (b) were as follows:

  1. (a) The National Childhood Encephalopathy Study, which was started in July 1976, was due to run for two years; and cases would then need to be followed up for a further year. Full results might, therefore, not be available until the end of 1979.
  2. (b) No new material had come to light which altered in any way the existing advice of the Joint Committee on the routine use of whooping cough vaccine. The Committee noted that a brisk rise in the number of notified cases of whooping cough began in September 1977 and had continued since; the epidemic seemed likely to continue into 1978.
  3. 3. In response to the request at (c), the Joint Committee commented on the factual material about the benefits and risks of the vaccines used for the routine immunisation of young children, proposed to be used in the forthcoming publicity, and these comments were taken into account in revising the material.