Vaccinate elderly, HKU microbiologist urges

[FrenchieGirl]

Vaccinate elderly, HKU microbiologist urges

(05-31 15:12)

Elderly people should receive vaccines for pneumococcus and seasonal flu if there is a widespread outbreak of human swine flu in the community, University of Hong Kong microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung has said.

Speaking on a radio program, Yuen quoted an HKU study last year showing the two vaccines could effectively lower the death rate of elderly people by 26 percent and their hospital stay by 13 percent in the flu season.

The government should also consider introducing a new vaccine for human swine flu if there is a high fatality rate caused by the infection, Yuen added.

But he warned that the government must also explain to patients the possible side effects and the health risks the new vaccine may entail.

 

[tropical]

Re: Vaccinate elderly, HKU microbiologist urges

Vaccinate elderly, HKU microbiologist urges

(05-31 15:12)
...
Yuen ...
But he warned that the government must also explain to patients the possible side effects and the health risks the new vaccine may entail.

Interesting.

Because of new tecnologies (cell/...) used to make it more faster,
or because of the characteristics of the virus?
If it kills eggs embrio as the avian one, maybe it have some other surprises also, or not.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Vaccinate elderly, HKU microbiologist urges

Source: http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=82829&sid=24058228&con_type=3

'Put elderly, chonically ill first in line for new vaccine'
Patsy Moy and Beatrice Siu
Monday, June 01, 2009

Experts want to see a start made quickly on creating a stockpile of vaccines in readiness for an outbreak of human swine flu (H1N1) in Hong Kong.

They also want vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those with chronic conditions to have priority with the new vaccine when the next flu wave hits.

"If we decide to extend the vaccination program to children, we need to explain the possible side-effects to the parents and to obtain their consent," specialist Lo Wing-lok said.

He was speaking after a joint meeting of the government-organized Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases.

Lo said four suppliers are being considered - Novartis Sanofi-Pasteur, GlaxoSmithKline and Baxter.

Most members favor the conventional egg-based culture method used by Sanofi-Pasteur as side-effects of new technologies have not been determined.

But even if such a scheme gets the backing needed, it will be months before a vaccine tailored for the latest flu strain will start to arrive in the world's dispensaries - and Hong Kong is not near the front of the queue to receive it.

The size of an order from Hong Kong has still to be settled, Lo said.

And while the vaccine is expected to be ready in September, Hong Kong supplies will depend on how much pharmaceutical firms can produce "as many places have already placed their orders ahead of us."

Lo also pointed out a vaccine will need approval from US an
d European authorities before use on humans.

Yuen Kwok-yung, chairman of the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, says the elderly and the ailing should get the jab, but he is unsure about the value for others.

A study by Hong Kong University last year showed that vaccines for seasonal flu and pneumococcus lowered the death rate of elderly people by 26 percent and hospital stays by 13 percent.

But statistics in the United States showed 10 out of one million people were paralyzed after receiving a human swine flu jab in 1976.

He also warned that, while human swine flu now appears mild, changes in gene sequencing could make the virus resistant to Tamiflu.

 

[tropical]

Re: Vaccinate elderly, HKU microbiologist urges

Thanks Shiloh.

So 1 in 100.000 could be paralysed after taking the novel flu vaccine,
if it can be compared with the '76 events.
Not only roses ...

But is it realy true that all these worldwide research and scientists during 40 years weren't able to found a more secure vaccine which ousted such dreaded and life treating collateral effects?

Or maybe in some desk/disk stay put an more secure, but maybe more expensive or not tried way to accomplish that, as the recent laser fueled nuclear fusion chamber instead of producing fision radioactive beams and dumps from actual nuclear plants ...

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Vaccinate elderly, HKU microbiologist urges

But is it realy true that all these worldwide research and scientists during 40 years weren't able to found a more secure vaccine...

....Due to underfunding of infectious diseases basic research. Profits are higher for known, circulating, common diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, MS, etc. Taxpayers balk at funding research and medication stockpiling for "maybe" outbreaks.

In early 2006, I met a person writing US pandemic planning policy and I let him know that I for one, wanted my tax dollars to go for new VAX plants located in the US. He firmly answered that there wasn't support for something that may never be used.

.