Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The problem is, as the Deputy observed, that there are people very worried about what has happened. A helpline has been established to deal with concerns people may raise. The ideal situation would be to allow the clinical review to be completed, and we will see whether that can be accelerated. I am trying to put the issue in context and to convey to people in a responsible way what one can best say is the level of risk involved in this in order that people, however concerned they can rightly be, are not unduly concerned or unduly put under an anxiety that may not be justified by the circumstances of their case. I am indicating, that of the 38,000 already looked at, two have resulted in a delayed diagnosis. We have yet to see whether outcomes were affected because of the delay in diagnosis, rather than because there is any question of a misdiagnosis.

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