Dr Pearl Dunlevy (13 August 1909 – 3 June 2002), was an Irish physician and epidemiologist working on TB and was the first woman president of the Biological Society of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland.

Dunlevy studied medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and graduated in 1932 coming first in the exams.

[1][2][3][4] Moving to the UK Dunlevy worked in a number of British hospitals: Returning to Ireland in 1936 Dunlevy graduated in first place from University College Dublin with a diploma in public health and was appointed temporary assistant county medical officer of health in Donegal.

In 1945 Dunlevy established the Primary TB clinic in Dublin at the Carnegie Trust Child Welfare Centre in Lord Edward Street.

The aim was to identify children with TB and begin to treat them in such a way as to reduce the amount of time they spent in sanatoria.

[1][2][4][3] Dunlevy had developed a reputation for rigour and organisation and was selected to pilot childhood BCG vaccination scheme in Dublin.

Dunlevy's program focused on statistics and data which enabled them to target specific households and areas for both treatment and vaccination.

[1][2][4][3] James Deeny said that A planned children's sanatorium became unnecessary and was turned into an adult facility due to the success of the scheme.

[1][2][4][3][5] During her role as senior assistant chief medical officer in the Dublin Health Authority infectious diseases gradually receded.