Comments on: My Proposed Questions to the HSE under Freedom of Information http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/ Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:46:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: shattered http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-81771 shattered Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:56:11 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-81771 i think thats what the hse were hoping to do here, using cork as a test run to see if it would be more economically viable to only vaccinate the at-risk groups. i think the trouble is we are a very small country with a huge history of tb in the not-too-distant past, it is far too soon to be thinking about scaling down the vaccination programme just yet. i think thats what the hse were hoping to do here, using cork as a test run to see if it would be more economically viable to only vaccinate the at-risk groups. i think the trouble is we are a very small country with a huge history of tb in the not-too-distant past, it is far too soon to be thinking about scaling down the vaccination programme just yet.

]]> By: Des http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-81724 Des Wed, 11 Jul 2007 09:43:54 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-81724 Looks like the French have made the BCG non-compulsory except for where children are at risk (eg cases of TB in the family etc). http://www.ouest-france.fr/Le-vaccin-du-BCG-ne-sera-plus-obligatoire/re/actuDet/actu_3636-424871-----_actu.html Looks like the French have made the BCG non-compulsory except for where children are at risk (eg cases of TB in the family etc).

http://www.ouest-france.fr/Le-vaccin-du-BCG-ne-sera-plus-obligatoire/re/actuDet/actu_3636-424871—–_actu.html

]]> By: shattered http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-67968 shattered Thu, 10 May 2007 09:44:24 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-67968 http://www.irishhealth.com/index.html?level=4&id=5723 hi conor. ive been doing a bit of googling and i can se very clearly now what is going on. the reason very high-up doctors were opposed to the bcg is bacause when tb was so effectively controlled in other areas in the past, posts were no longer deemed necessary and senior consultants were facing redundancy (shock horror.) so in order to protect their own jobs, babies and young children were put at risk. on purpose. http://www.irishhealth.com/index.html?level=4&id=5723

hi conor. ive been doing a bit of googling and i can se very clearly now what is going on. the reason very high-up doctors were opposed to the bcg is bacause when tb was so effectively controlled in other areas in the past, posts were no longer deemed necessary and senior consultants were facing redundancy (shock horror.) so in order to protect their own jobs, babies and young children were put at risk. on purpose.

]]> By: conor http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66560 conor Sat, 05 May 2007 13:52:25 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66560 I really don't what what you can practically do apart from kicking up a stink at every opportunity. Maybe every visit to hospital, you should ask "why did this happen" "what's stopping it happening again" and "who is responsible". Particularly to consultants who probably do know the answers to all of the above. Don't accept fob-offs. Have there been many letters to Examiner etc? Why are all the newspaper stories I've read about the outbreak pussy-footing around why it happened? I really don’t what what you can practically do apart from kicking up a stink at every opportunity.

Maybe every visit to hospital, you should ask “why did this happen” “what’s stopping it happening again” and “who is responsible”. Particularly to consultants who probably do know the answers to all of the above. Don’t accept fob-offs.

Have there been many letters to Examiner etc? Why are all the newspaper stories I’ve read about the outbreak pussy-footing around why it happened?

]]> By: shattered http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66325 shattered Fri, 04 May 2007 19:11:58 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66325 yes that is very true. i know these people are hugley intelligent and experienced and i would trust them with my life if i had to , etc etc etc but it seems that sometimes they forget the human side of things and put research ahead of parental concerns. im probably not the best judge at the minute having spent another day in hospital (with a fantastic, sympathetic, lovely doctor i hasten to add,) but i do feel our children are just statistics now to be used as the consultants see fit. i need to feel like i am doing something about it. what can i do? yes that is very true. i know these people are hugley intelligent and experienced and i would trust them with my life if i had to , etc etc etc but it seems that sometimes they forget the human side of things and put research ahead of parental concerns. im probably not the best judge at the minute having spent another day in hospital (with a fantastic, sympathetic, lovely doctor i hasten to add,) but i do feel our children are just statistics now to be used as the consultants see fit. i need to feel like i am doing something about it. what can i do?

]]> By: conor http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66257 conor Fri, 04 May 2007 10:25:53 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66257 The problem with a lot of medical policy is that it remains "opinion based" rather than "data or fact based". One or two powerful individuals with strong views can control not just hospitals but also hugely important policies. I'm coming to the conclusion that the cult of the consultant must come to an end as it really is responsible for so much of the dysfunction in the Irish health service. The problem with a lot of medical policy is that it remains “opinion based” rather than “data or fact based”.

One or two powerful individuals with strong views can control not just hospitals but also hugely important policies.

I’m coming to the conclusion that the cult of the consultant must come to an end as it really is responsible for so much of the dysfunction in the Irish health service.

]]> By: shattered http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66254 shattered Fri, 04 May 2007 10:00:10 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66254 conor, i thought i was just being paranoid but now the more i look at it the more i think they were using our kids as guinea pigs. if they had managed to go for a few more years without an outbreak they could have used cork as an example in arguments against the bcg. why else would they vehemently oppose the bcg even though it was supposed to be part of a nation wide scheme? i feel sick to my stomach about it all. where do i go from here? conor, i thought i was just being paranoid but now the more i look at it the more i think they were using our kids as guinea pigs. if they had managed to go for a few more years without an outbreak they could have used cork as an example in arguments against the bcg. why else would they vehemently oppose the bcg even though it was supposed to be part of a nation wide scheme? i feel sick to my stomach about it all. where do i go from here?

]]> By: conor http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66246 conor Fri, 04 May 2007 08:47:46 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66246 Thanks for that Treasa. As I just pointed out over on Justin's blog, we now have 35 years of comparative data on BCG in Ireland. Surely we can now say with absolute certainty whether the "grand Cork experiment" has worked or not? Thanks for that Treasa.

As I just pointed out over on Justin’s blog, we now have 35 years of comparative data on BCG in Ireland. Surely we can now say with absolute certainty whether the “grand Cork experiment” has worked or not?

]]> By: Treasa http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66244 Treasa Fri, 04 May 2007 08:29:26 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66244 Just by way of a buried memory: I was born in Limerick in 1972 which is MWHB territory, or at least was. But I grew up in the SHB area but very close to the border with MWHB. When I was 10 or 12 years old, "they" did a sweep through the school to see who had and who had not had the BCG. I was flagged as not having had it (the clue apparently was two small marks in your shoulder) so was sent to have a test to see if I was immune to TB or not. At least that's how I remember it. At any rate, it was then decided that I did not need the BCG or that I had some immunity to TB. I don't remember the details to be honest. Conor, if you're truly digging into this, it might be worth seeing if you can find any record of that sweep being done, and why it might have been done. Maybe there was a TB outbreak or something; I don't know. Just by way of a buried memory: I was born in Limerick in 1972 which is MWHB territory, or at least was. But I grew up in the SHB area but very close to the border with MWHB. When I was 10 or 12 years old, “they” did a sweep through the school to see who had and who had not had the BCG. I was flagged as not having had it (the clue apparently was two small marks in your shoulder) so was sent to have a test to see if I was immune to TB or not. At least that’s how I remember it. At any rate, it was then decided that I did not need the BCG or that I had some immunity to TB. I don’t remember the details to be honest.

Conor, if you’re truly digging into this, it might be worth seeing if you can find any record of that sweep being done, and why it might have been done. Maybe there was a TB outbreak or something; I don’t know.

]]> By: shattered http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66126 shattered Thu, 03 May 2007 17:22:14 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66126 now this might sound a bit conspiracy theory-ish but i have the most horrible feeling that they were using cork as a big pilot programme to see if the bcg was really necessary in modern day ireland. i would love to know if our childrens medical details are going to be used in any of their new presentations. my daughter isnt a lab rat! how dare they! am i just being extremely paranoid? now this might sound a bit conspiracy theory-ish but i have the most horrible feeling that they were using cork as a big pilot programme to see if the bcg was really necessary in modern day ireland. i would love to know if our childrens medical details are going to be used in any of their new presentations. my daughter isnt a lab rat! how dare they! am i just being extremely paranoid?

]]> By: conor http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66115 conor Thu, 03 May 2007 15:43:24 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66115 It does appear that the ongoing decision was not due to cost or administrative reasons but because of some powerful medics at board level who oppose BCG. What we need to find out is whether there were any public health or epidemiology experts on the board at any stage who did support BCG. It does appear that the ongoing decision was not due to cost or administrative reasons but because of some powerful medics at board level who oppose BCG.

What we need to find out is whether there were any public health or epidemiology experts on the board at any stage who did support BCG.

]]> By: conor http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66113 conor Thu, 03 May 2007 15:39:55 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66113 <a href="http://www.irishhealth.com/index.html?level=4&id=11418" rel="nofollow">This is a good article</a> with some good quotes from Bredin who appears to be fundamentally opposed to BCG. What he doesn't do is propose an alternative or explain why Cork has the highest incidence of TB in Ireland. This is a good article with some good quotes from Bredin who appears to be fundamentally opposed to BCG. What he doesn’t do is propose an alternative or explain why Cork has the highest incidence of TB in Ireland.

]]> By: conor http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66108 conor Thu, 03 May 2007 15:21:39 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66108 In March 2006, Dr. Cathal Bredin, who is mentioned in that article as opposing routine BCG, presented at an event called "TB - A Global Disease, International Approaches for Control and Prevention & a Model Programme for Ireland". His presentation was titled "TB - approaches for control and prevention - a Southern Irish perspective". The irony, well, words fail me. In March 2006, Dr. Cathal Bredin, who is mentioned in that article as opposing routine BCG, presented at an event called “TB – A Global Disease, International Approaches for Control and Prevention & a Model Programme for Ireland”.

His presentation was titled “TB – approaches for control and prevention – a Southern Irish perspective”.

The irony, well, words fail me.

]]> By: conor http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66104 conor Thu, 03 May 2007 15:02:16 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66104 Thanks for that great link! I'll see if I can find out if either of those Board Members have any qualifications in infectious diseases, public health or epidemiology. The last line is interesting and at variance with what I've read informally. Thanks for that great link!

I’ll see if I can find out if either of those Board Members have any qualifications in infectious diseases, public health or epidemiology.

The last line is interesting and at variance with what I’ve read informally.

]]> By: shattered http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66101 shattered Thu, 03 May 2007 14:55:06 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66101 http://archives.tcm.ie/thekingdom/2001/02/15/story5684.asp take a look at this page if you can, a story printed in "the kingdom" where it looks as though the people of kerry were not happy to let their children be treated the same as cork children. it also gives a few clues as to why the vaccine is not given in cork and who was responsible for the decision http://archives.tcm.ie/thekingdom/2001/02/15/story5684.asp

take a look at this page if you can, a story printed in “the kingdom” where it looks as though the people of kerry were not happy to let their children be treated the same as cork children. it also gives a few clues as to why the vaccine is not given in cork and who was responsible for the decision

]]> By: shattered http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66098 shattered Thu, 03 May 2007 14:41:00 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66098 thats great, im looking forward to hearing what they have to say. from what ive seen, they are very good at dodging questions and giving non-answers. thats great, im looking forward to hearing what they have to say. from what ive seen, they are very good at dodging questions and giving non-answers.

]]> By: conor http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66034 conor Thu, 03 May 2007 10:39:44 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66034 I'll send these in over the weekend and if we get a detailed response I'll pass it on to the press alright. I’ll send these in over the weekend and if we get a detailed response I’ll pass it on to the press alright.

]]> By: shattered http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-66027 shattered Thu, 03 May 2007 09:59:03 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-66027 i still cant believe how little the press have highlighted this issue. surely its in the public interest to let cork parents know their kids are at risk? i like the questions conor, are you going to approach a newspaper with the findings? the echo have been giving it fairly consistent coverage. i still cant believe how little the press have highlighted this issue. surely its in the public interest to let cork parents know their kids are at risk? i like the questions conor, are you going to approach a newspaper with the findings? the echo have been giving it fairly consistent coverage.

]]> By: Damien Mulley » Blog Archive » Resources for when politicians call http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-65530 Damien Mulley » Blog Archive » Resources for when politicians call Tue, 01 May 2007 08:06:54 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-65530 [...] Here are some suggested questions to ask from various bloggers or maybe you can use this list from the EastMeath blog or maybe any of the ones directed to Batt O’Keeffe. Conor O’Neill has some good ones in relation to the TB outbreak in Cork. [...] [...] Here are some suggested questions to ask from various bloggers or maybe you can use this list from the EastMeath blog or maybe any of the ones directed to Batt O’Keeffe. Conor O’Neill has some good ones in relation to the TB outbreak in Cork. [...]

]]> By: conor http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/comment-page-1/#comment-65334 conor Mon, 30 Apr 2007 12:07:02 +0000 http://conoroneill.com/2007/04/30/my-proposed-questions-to-the-hse-under-freedom-of-information/#comment-65334 Thanks Dermot, I'll add those changes. Did anyone else notice the two page story in The Sunday Business Post yesterday all about resistant forms of TB? They put all that effort into an over the top scare-story and never once mentioned vaccination or the Cork scandal. An amazing piece of journalism really. Thanks Dermot, I’ll add those changes.

Did anyone else notice the two page story in The Sunday Business Post yesterday all about resistant forms of TB? They put all that effort into an over the top scare-story and never once mentioned vaccination or the Cork scandal. An amazing piece of journalism really.

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