It was not possible for Irish children to have received an animal vaccine in error during an immunisation programme thirty years ago, a new report has shown.
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An investigation by the Department of Health and pharmaceuticals company GlaxoSmithKline found it was not possible for Irish children to have been administered with the animal vaccine Tribova T instead of the human 3-in-1 vaccine Trivax in the early 1970s.
The Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, told the Dáil "a simple recording error is the most likely explanation".
The allegation was first reported by the Irish Independentin June of this year.
The Minister said the Irish Medicines Board and the Eastern Regional Health Authority had both separately considered the case and decided that a transcription error is the most probable explanation.
Mr Martin said parents should have confidence in the ongoing vaccination programmes and the benefits to all children's health of such programmes.
GlaxoSmithKline in a statement said the difference in the size and labelling of the vials meant it was inconceivable healthcare professionals could have administered the Tribovax-T vaccine in error.
