POLIOMYELITIS VACCINE

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27637, 19 April 1955, Page 9

POLIOMYELITIS VACCINE

N.Z. PURCHASES OF SUPPLIES CABINET COMMITTEE SET UP (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 18. The Cabinet today set up a committee with power to act in the purchase of the new Salk poliomyelitis vaccine, subject to study of the official report of the United States investigation. The committee comprises the Prime Minister (Mr Holland), the Minister of Finance (Mr J. T. Watts), and the Minister of Health (Mr J. R. Hanan).

The United States report was asked for immediately it was announced in New Zealand that the result of the investigation would be released this month.

Mr Holland said today that any New Zealand decision to acquire quantities of the vaccine—and this would depend entirely on the nature of the report—was likely to involve a large sum of money. He added that New Zealand’s inquiries had been made through the Ambassador in Washington (Sir Leslie Munro), and there had been a constant flow of cabled information on the subject to this country. *‘lf the official report shows that the new vaccine is what has been claimed, New Zealand will most certainly endeavour to obtain adequate quantities of it,” he said. “There are many questions about its use and effects which cannot be answered until the official report is studied,” said Mr Holland. ' . 1 ' »■