High Court passes vaccine row to AG
Irish Examiner -
A High Court judge has referred a legal row over a boy’s vaccination shots to the Attorney General, saying he could not give a “snap judgment”.
The development comes after the estranged parents of the 5-year-old boy went to court in a row over whether their son should have his MMR and 4-in-1 booster vaccination shots.
Mr Justice Michael Moriarty said constitutional arguments arise in the case. He has already heard evidence from the boy’s mother, who does not want her son to have the vaccinations, and the father, who wants the injections to be given as quickly as possible.
The MMR vaccination protects against measles, mumps and rubella, while the 4-in-1 vaccination protects against diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, and tetanus.
Mr Justice Moriarty said this unfortunate but undoubtedly significant matter related to vehemently opposing positions taken by the parents of the boy, who was due to get his two booster shots in February.
The district and circuit courts have already ruled that the inoculations should proceed, in accordance with the father’s wishes.
However, the case was before the High Court as a result of a legal challenge by the mother.
Mr Justice Moriarty said that after the boy was born in 2007 he was immunised without dispute, and no adverse reactions were reported after any of the shots. The parents’ relationship later broke down.
Read More: irishexaminer.com
2012-12-11 03:00:11
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