Recalled vaccine not unsafe, merely ineffective

[Pathfinder]

Recalled vaccine not unsafe, merely ineffective

by WRN Contributor on <ABBR class=published title=2009-12-15>December 15, 2009</ABBR>
in Children & Families, Health & Medicine

Despite a recall on an H1N1 vaccine, it is still safe. Approximately 14,700 doses that were distributed to providers throughout the state are included in the recall, according to Dan Hopfensperger, director of the state?s immunization program. ?We are contacting them directly, to let them know if they have not administered the vaccine, they should take it . . . out of their inventory,? says Hopfensperger.

More than 800,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine for children are being recalled, but not because they?re unsafe. ?The vaccine is safe, and it is effective,? says Hopfensperger. ?However, it may not be as effective as originally intended.? That?s because some of the shots have a lower antigen content, which is the main ingredient the help the body create antibodies against the virus. Children under 10 are recommended to get a second shot, which Hopfensperger says will booster any effect from a first dose.

http://www.wrn.com/2009/12/recalled-vaccine-not-unsafe-merely-ineffective/

 

[JimO]

Re: Recalled vaccine not unsafe, merely ineffective

The really sad thing is that since everyone has been hearing "it's no worse than the seasonal flu" and now that studies are being broadly cited that suggest that the death rates are lower than seasonal flu and less than expected, I would be surprised if more than one quarter of those who had their kids vaccinated with the recalled vaccine will go back for another one. So, all that effort to get those 800,000 vaccines distributed and to get the kids vaccinated was for naught.

This will also feed the fires of the "vaccines are from aliens trying to sterilize the human race" crowd. It could also undermine the average person's confidence in vaccination since some people will say that altough that batch was safe, albiet ineffective, they could just have easily made a mistake during production that would have made the vaccine unsafe.

All this does not bode well for protection from a severe winter wave.