The source said although all participants had been told there was a remote possibility HIV markers could be found in tests during the trial, medical researchers had not expected it to occur.

Health department secretary Brendan Murphy said the risk of a false-positive was seen to be "extremely low at the outset".

"Everyone was very surprised at the unexpected prevalence of the false positive," Professor Murphy said.

Line up for your mandatory vaccine peasant, don't worry we got some smart cunts working on it