Top doctor says only 36 of 6.5M people vaccinated had serious adverse reaction to H1N1 vaccine

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Top doctor says only 36 of 6.5M people vaccinated had serious adverse reaction to H1N1 vaccine


Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq laughs as she shakes hands with Chief Public Health Officer David Butler-Jones following a news conference on October 21, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld



<DL class=author><DD class="date published">Published on November 17th, 2009 <DD class="date display_none"><DD class="date display_none"><DD class="date display_none"></DD></DL>OTTAWA - The country's chief public health officer says few Canadians have suffered serious side effects from the swine-flu shot.

Dr. David Butler-Jones says that of the 6.5 million people who have received the H1N1 vaccine, only 36 have had serious adverse reactions.

He says one person is believed to have died from a serious reaction to the vaccine, but the death hasn't yet been conclusively linked to the flu shot.

Butler-Jones says the serious side effects fall into two categories: allergic reactions or fevers and convulsions.

Mild effects, such as nausea, soreness, headaches and fever, are far more common reactions to the swine-flu shot - just as they are for all vaccines.

The federal government says it will list adverse reactions to the H1N1 vaccine on its www.fightflu.ca website.

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http://www.mjtimes.sk.ca/Canada---World/Society/2009-11-17/article-194776/Top-doctor-says-only-36-of-6.5M-people-vaccinated-had-serious-adverse-reaction-to-H1N1-vaccine/1

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Re: Top doctor says only 36 of 6.5M people vaccinated had serious adverse reaction to H1N1 vaccine

Only a handful of serious side effects from H1N1 vaccine

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Tue. Nov. 17 2009 1:10 PM ET

The country's chief public health officer says few Canadians have suffered serious side effects from the swine-flu shot.

Dr. David Butler-Jones says that of the 6.6 million doses of H1N1 vaccine that have been given so far to Canadians, there have been only 36 serious adverse reactions.

One person is believed to have died from a serious reaction to the vaccine, but Butler-Jones stressed the death hasn't been conclusively linked to the flu shot.

"It's important to remember that just because a medical event follows vaccination, it may not have been caused by the vaccination; it may have been caused by other factors, as unfortunate events continue to occur with or without vaccine," he told a news conference Tuesday.

Butler-Jones said the serious side effects which have the potential to cause disability or death have included allergic reactions, fevers and convulsions.

With the allergic reactions seen so far, most began within minutes of vaccination and were treated promptly by medical people at the vaccination site. Milder side effects, such as nausea, soreness, headaches and fever, have also been seen.

All the side effects were expected, Butler-Jones noted.

"With any vaccination campaign, we expect to see some cases of serious adverse events. They are very rare but they are part of all mass vaccination campaigns and we expect to see a small number of them," he said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada takes all reports of adverse events seriously and all cases are fully investigated, he said.

Butler-Jones estimated that the frequency of serious reactions from the H1N1 vaccine has been less than one per 100,000 doses distributed so far, "which is what we've seen with other vaccines."

And he stressed that the small risk of side effects should not deter anyone to get the vaccine to protect their health or that of their family.

"The benefit of immunization -- the prevention of serious illness and death -- far outweigh any theoretical risks associated with being immunized," he said.

The country's chief public health officer added that about 20 per cent of Canada's 31 million citizens have received the H1N1 shot in the last three weeks.

"Canada now has the most secure supply and the most number of people immunized as a percentage of population anywhere," Butler-Jones stated.

[B.C.]

Re: Top doctor says only 36 of 6.5M people vaccinated had serious adverse reaction to H1N1 vaccine

Adverse reactions seen in 36 Canadians after H1N1 shot: official

Caroline Alphonso

Globe and Mail Update Published on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 12:51PM EST Last updated on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 1:53PM EST

The country's chief public health officer says 36 Canadians have suffered serious adverse reactions after getting the H1N1 vaccine.

David Butler-Jones said today that the cases are being investigated to see if they are related to the vaccine. One elderly person has died, but the death hasn't been conclusively linked to the H1N1 shot.

Dr. Butler-Jones stressed that the serious reactions to the H1N1 shot are much fewer than those caused by the seasonal flu shot. No figures were immediately available on the seasonal flu vaccine. But out of 6.6-million H1N1 doses distributed, there were only 36 reports of serious adverse reactions.

Serious adverse events are reactions that cause life-threatening illness, hospitalizations and deaths.

?Canadians can be assured that to date the frequency of serious reactions is less than 1 per 100,000 doses distributed, which is what we've seen with other vaccines,? Dr. Butler-Jones said. ?The benefit of immunization, the prevention of serious illness and death far outweigh any theoretical risk associated with being immunized.?

Who should get Tamiflu?

Federal health officials also said there have been reports of more common minor reactions at the flu clinics, including nausea, dizziness and headaches. There have also been several reports of allergic reactions at the immunization sites, which have been treated by medical people there.

?It's important to remember that just because a medical event follows vaccination, it may not have been caused by the vaccine. It may have been caused by other factors as unfortunate events continue to occur with or without vaccine,? Dr. Butler-Jones said.

The federal government says it will list adverse reactions to the H1N1 vaccine on its www.fightflu.ca website.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/adverse-reactions-seen-in-36-canadians-after-h1n1-shot-official/article1366564/