HSE applies to have HIV drugs administered to newborn
The HSE has applied for a High Court order allowing anti retro-viral drugs to be administered to the child of an expectant mother with HIV.
The pregnant woman - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - believes the drugs are potentially fatal and wants to establish their safety before consenting to the treatment.
The HSE believes administering the drugs over a four-week period after birth will reduce the risk of transferring the HIV virus from mother to child.
The HSE also believes carrying out an early caesarean section next Monday will further reduce the likelihood of the virus being passed on.
But lawyers for the expectant mother want to first establish the safety of the drugs which they say are highly toxic and have claimed lives.
Her legal team will call expert evidence in an emergency court sitting tomorrow for the case to be decided as quickly as possible.
