An inquest into the death of a 14-year-old boy from Acaill in Co Mayo has ended in Swinford courthouse with Mayo coroner Patrick O'Connor recording an open verdict into his death.
Joseph McGinty died in an ambulance on his way to Mayo University Hospital on 13 September 2021.
Mr O'Connor recorded the medical cause of death as "profound adrenal pathology consistent with Addison's disease".
In his recommendations, Mr O'Connor called for the Paediatric Department of Mayo University Hospital to be fully and adequately resourced so that it is in a position to provide the facilities for treatment and diagnosis for paediatric patients as would be expected of it.
The teenager died three weeks after he received the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at a vaccination centre on 20 August 2021.
However, the coroner stated that after receiving depositions, statements and reports running to 3,500 pages, and after hearing from 18 witnesses, that "none of the medical evidence presented to me during the course of this inquest and the enquiries made by me, established that there was any link whatsoever to the administration of the Covid vaccine to Joseph McGinty".
Mr O'Connor also stated that "there was no evidence whatsoever that he had contracted Covid nor was there any evidence whatsoever that he died from Covid".
The inquest into his death had heard that the teenager experienced significant weight-loss in the four months before his death and he was unable to hold down food.
He attended Mayo University Hospital on 1 September 2021 and was treated with suspected gastroenteritis and was discharged the following morning despite concerns of some nursing staff.
He attended the hospital again on 8 September after his condition failed to improve.
His mother, Patricia McGinty, told the inquest that he was sent home that day despite feeling dizzy and weak.
He continued to get sick over the coming days and collapsed in his home in the morning of 13 September and was pronounced dead at 7.47am on his way to hospital.
Joseph was described as being a "very sick boy" and his GP Dr Edward King had recommended that an "urgent investigation" be carried out to diagnose his condition in his referral letter to the hospital.
The inquest was told that apart from bloods being taken there was no other investigation, despite Mrs McGinty asking the doctor to perform scans or x-rays.
She said she was told he was not sick enough for that and was sent home.
Mrs McGinty said they had offered to pay for a scan or x-ray but were refused and Mr McGinty said they had hoped their son could be sent to Crumlin Children's Hospital or to Galway University Hospital to get to the bottom of his ongoing health issues.
Mr McGinty also described as diabolical the treatment of the family by MHU following their son's death after saying they retained his organs without their knowledge.
He said that three months after his death, the local undertaker informed him that the hospital had contacted her to say he had until 3pm that day to collect the organs.
Mr McGinty said he had no idea that the hospital had retained the organs until then and the family had to organise to collect them and have them interned with the body of their son.
Addison's Disease is extremely rare. The condition is a rare disorder of the adrenal glands where not enough cortisol and aldosterone are produced. Loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss and fatigue are some of the symptoms.
