GlaxoSmithKline pulls swine flu vaccines in Canada

[mhatrw]

Source: Associated Press

Pharmaceuticals company GlaxoSmithKline PLC said Tuesday it has advised medical staff in Canada to not use one batch of swine flu vaccines in case they trigger life-threatening allergies.

Company spokeswoman Gwenan White said that they issued the advice after reports that one batch of the swine flu vaccine might have caused more allergic reactions than normal.

"We have advised health care professionals not to use that batch while health authorities and GlaxoSmithKline investigate," she said.

White said the batch at issue, which has been distributed across Canada, contains 172,000 doses of the vaccine. She declined to say how many doses had been administered before the advice to stop using them was given.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hv_UnE27MKQefLNmQxLUqQF557NQD9C5TKJG0

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On a related note, the NIAID/CDC seems to have plenty of thimerosal-free (and thimerosal-removed) versions of these injectable vaccines to use for all of their safety/efficacy tests. Meanwhile, almost all of us, including pregnant women and little kids, are being given the thimerosal-spiked versions.

The http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/QA/vteuH1N1qa.htm">CDC's safety trials on these new H1N1 vaccines are being done using the thimerosal-free or thimerosal-removed single dose versions of these vaccines. For example:

http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/QA/qaH1N1pedvax.htm

Do the vaccines used in the pediatric trials contain thimerosal or adjuvants?

No. The 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine and the seasonal influenza vaccine used in these trials do not contain thimerosal or adjuvants.

http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/QA/H1N1pregnanttrials.htm

Does the vaccine contain either the preservative thimerosal or an adjuvant?

No. The vaccine does not contain thimerosal, a preservative.

http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/QA/H1N1VacASTHMAqa.htm

During the production of the vaccine, thimerosal, a chemical that prevents bacterial contamination, is required. This chemical is removed in the preparation of the single-dose syringes containing the vaccine, which will be used in this clinical trial.

http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/QA/H1N1VacHIVChildYouthPregWomenqa.htm

The 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine manufactured by Novartis contains a trace amount of thimerosal, a mercury derivative used in the manufacture of the vaccine and removed by subsequent purification steps.

[Techn0Girl]

1. in 1976-7 a contaminated batch of H1N1 Vaccine....

...caused over 500 deaths and hundreds of paralysis cases nationwide . The bacterial infection was suspected in setting off Gillian -Barre syndrome in thousands of people.

[fasttense]

3. I've stopped getting any flu shots since my arm swelled up to twice its size with the last one.

After the shot 2 years ago, my arm swelled up to twice its size. It then got a sore on it that began to leak out pus and other fluids. When the pain was too much, I went back to the doctor and he claimed I was allergic to eggs. He simply said to keep it clean.

Here's the thing. I raise chickens. I raise them almost like pets. I give them treats every morning and pet them and carry them around and nurse their minor little bumps and bruises. I clean their coop and make sure they are safe from predators. In exchange they give me a constant stream of eggs. Even when chickens of the same flock have stopped laying (I bought some from a local farmer), my chickens keep putting out the eggs.

I eat eggs all the time, I love eggs and make the best damn egg custard in the world, and I have absolutely no allergic reaction. I am allergic to other things so I know what an allergic response is like. My arm swelling was NOT an allergic reaction. It was more like I got infected with something. To this day, I have a scar about the size of a one inch cut on my arm. It reminds me never to get a flu shot again.

[TheEuclideanOne]

7. I like your chicken story.

That sounds like a great relationship. How many chickens do you have? Sounds like you treat your chickens the way I treat my dog, although he doesn't really give anything like eggs in return. He barely even obeys any commands, unless he just coincidentally happens to feel like doing something at the same time that I give the command.

[CAcyclist]

9. Serretia

Contamination of the vaccine with serretia bacteria has been responsible for many vaccine-associated bacterial reactions. Doctors (and vets, for that matter :) )are schooled to diagnose allergic reactions, so every vaccine reaction is an allergic one unless that doctor knows better. I am sure you are right and actually had an infection. It doesn't mean the next time you get a vaccine the same thing will happen though.

[katkat]

8. not just 1976-7

I got GB last year from the regular flu vaccine.

[Oregone]

10. This caused 6 reactions

Everyone recovered

[Techn0Girl]

11. We're both wrong :)

Your comment caused me to look up my figures - I was wrong in the number of deaths (but so were you)

The 1976-7 vaccination program resulted in 532 cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome according to this source :
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/463869

"Vaccination-related GBS results in death or disability in one fifth of affected " according to this source:

http://journals.lww.com/jcnmd/Abstract/2009/09000/Guillain_Barre_Syndrome_after_Vaccination_in.1.aspx

Therefore there were not 500 deaths as I previously stated - there were about 500 cases of Guillain-Barre that resulted in roughly 100 deaths.

BTW - many of those who do not die of Guillain-Barre do remain paralyzed to varying degrees for the rest of their lives.

[Oregone]

12. Im talking about the GSK batch in Canada

6 cases according the the CBC, last I checked. This may of changed

Why do I mention this in reply to your comment about the 76-77 vaccine program? Well, the same could be asked of why you mentioned that in reply to the OP.

[Chemisse]

2. Hmm, no details about the allergic reaction

I wonder if it was a contaminant.

[Posteritatis]

6. Another article the other day said there were three dozen reactions nationwide

The batch of a few hundred thousand in question was tied to six severe reactions,

[BrklynLiberal]

4. hmmmmm

[midnight]

5. How interesting. About two weeks ago, in my community, they set up a clinic just for surrounding

area. Hardly any participants, so they opened the clinic to anyone who came in. I think regardless of all the folks saying this is a good thing, many don't believe it to be so.