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Officials investigating one lot of flu vaccine due to allergy concerns
<!-- begin content --><!-- this is is... -->Thu, 2009-11-19 18:11.
By: Steve Lambert, THE CANADIAN PRESS
The provinces are being asked to hold back a batch of swine flu vaccine that appears to be causing higher rates of severe allergic reactions.
The vaccine's manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, has asked governments to stop using vaccine doses from one particular lot shipment (A80CA007A) issued in late October while the company and federal health officials investigate.
"GSK is taking this cautionary action because the Public Health Agency of Canada has received a higher than expected number of reports of anaphylaxis in this lot number compared to other lots," the company said in a written statement Thursday.
Manitoba health officials say they have noticed severe allergic reactions from that lot at a rate of one in 20,000, compared with the standard reaction rate of one in 100,000.
"We received this vaccine some time ago, as did all other provinces, and we have used almost all of this vaccine already," Dr. Joel Kettner,
Manitoba's chief medical officer of health said.
"We are being cautious and following the advice ... to hold onto the remaining stock until we get further information."
The Alberta government was also holding back the vaccine, although it had not seen a jump in reactions.
"We reviewed our own data and we didn't have any of that experience here ... so at this point, we're just following the instructions from the company and the public health agency," said chief medical health officer Andre Corriveau.
"We hadn't seen any severe allergic reactions from that lot ourselves ... there were cases in B.C. and Quebec, I believe."
Because most of the vaccine in question has already been used, the decision to withhold what's left is not expected to have an impact on overall supplies.
Kettner urged people not to be alarmed. Any severe reactions from the lot have been short-lived and have not led to long-term health troubles, he said.
"The ongoing question for people considering getting vaccinated is comparing the potential benefit of the vaccine ... with the risk, which remains very low from our observations," he said.
"Our advice, based on information in Manitoba and from other provinces, is unchanged."
-With files from Shannon Montgomery in Calgary
http://www.610cktb.com/news/14/1025019
<!-- begin content --><!-- this is is... -->Thu, 2009-11-19 18:11.
By: Steve Lambert, THE CANADIAN PRESS
The provinces are being asked to hold back a batch of swine flu vaccine that appears to be causing higher rates of severe allergic reactions.
The vaccine's manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, has asked governments to stop using vaccine doses from one particular lot shipment (A80CA007A) issued in late October while the company and federal health officials investigate.
"GSK is taking this cautionary action because the Public Health Agency of Canada has received a higher than expected number of reports of anaphylaxis in this lot number compared to other lots," the company said in a written statement Thursday.
Manitoba health officials say they have noticed severe allergic reactions from that lot at a rate of one in 20,000, compared with the standard reaction rate of one in 100,000.
"We received this vaccine some time ago, as did all other provinces, and we have used almost all of this vaccine already," Dr. Joel Kettner,
Manitoba's chief medical officer of health said.
"We are being cautious and following the advice ... to hold onto the remaining stock until we get further information."
The Alberta government was also holding back the vaccine, although it had not seen a jump in reactions.
"We reviewed our own data and we didn't have any of that experience here ... so at this point, we're just following the instructions from the company and the public health agency," said chief medical health officer Andre Corriveau.
"We hadn't seen any severe allergic reactions from that lot ourselves ... there were cases in B.C. and Quebec, I believe."
Because most of the vaccine in question has already been used, the decision to withhold what's left is not expected to have an impact on overall supplies.
Kettner urged people not to be alarmed. Any severe reactions from the lot have been short-lived and have not led to long-term health troubles, he said.
"The ongoing question for people considering getting vaccinated is comparing the potential benefit of the vaccine ... with the risk, which remains very low from our observations," he said.
"Our advice, based on information in Manitoba and from other provinces, is unchanged."
-With files from Shannon Montgomery in Calgary
http://www.610cktb.com/news/14/1025019