Cancer expert killed by ‘very rare’ reaction to yellow fever jab

AN EMINENT doctor died after he suffered a rare reaction to a yellow fever vaccine ahead of a trip to Tanzania, an inquest heard.

Prof Martin Gore, whom the Duke of Cambridge called a “pioneer” of cancer care, was pronounced dead eight days after having the inoculation in January.

The oncologist, 67, was a specialist in melanoma, ovarian and renal cancers. He served as medical director at the Royal Marsden Hospital in west London for 10 years.

He died from organ failure caused by a “very rare complication” on Jan 10, a day after he was admitted to hospital after he complained of feeling unwell.

An inquest was told that the risk of an adverse reaction for a 67-year-old was just one in 100,000.

St Pancras Coroner’s Court heard the professor had planned to travel to Tanzania for a week and booked a vaccination appointment at a chemist in Chelsea on Jan 2.

Yellow fever is transmitted by infected mosquitoes and does not yet have a cure – although several treatments are at the experimental stage.

The coroner recorded a narrative verdict, commenting: “His medical cause of death was multiple organ failure caused by yellow fever vaccination associated disease.”

Alex Gore, Prof Gore’s son, said outside the inquest that his father was “revered” in his field of cancer medicine and that doctors remained “baffled” by his death.

He said: “He was popular and fantastic with all people in all walks of life – not just people who worked with him. He made people smile and laugh. He was so fun. We don’t blame anyone, it’s just an unfortunate thing to happen.”

‘He was popular with people in all walks of life. He made people smile and laugh ... We don’t blame anyone’