A/H1N1 pandemic flu vaccine withdrawn in Canada due to high number of allergic reacti

[dumboiu]

Date: Fri 20 Nov 2009
Source: China View, Xiunhua News Agency [edited]
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/20/content_12512546.htm>


About 170 000 doses of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccine are
being withdrawn in Canada from Friday [20 Nov 2009] after health
officials reported an unusually high number of allergic reactions.
Health officials in the western province of Manitoba reported
Thursday [19 Nov 2009] a higher-than-usual number of allergic
reactions after using vaccine from a batch manufactured by a factory
of the British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in Quebec. Usually one
or 2 allergic reactions are expected for a batch of that size, but
Manitoba has recorded 6 severe allergic reactions.

GSK said Friday in a statement that the recall was a precaution and
they would investigate to see whether there was something wrong with
the batch. Another province which has been using the vaccine did not
report any rise in adverse reactions.

Of the 6.6 million people that had been vaccinated, there have been
36 serious adverse reactions, Dr. David Butler-Jones, the country's
Chief Public Health Officer, said earlier this week. One person was
believed to have died from a serious reaction to the vaccine, but the
death had not been conclusively linked to the flu shot, he said.

 

[C.Ann]

Date: Fri 20 Nov 2009
Source: China View, Xiunhua News Agency [edited]
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/20/content_12512546.htm>


About 170 000 doses of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccine are
being withdrawn in Canada from Friday [20 Nov 2009] after health
officials reported an unusually high number of allergic reactions.
Health officials in the western province of Manitoba reported
Thursday [19 Nov 2009] a higher-than-usual number of allergic
reactions after using vaccine from a batch manufactured by a factory
of the British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in Quebec. Usually one
or 2 allergic reactions are expected for a batch of that size, but
Manitoba has recorded 6 severe allergic reactions.

GSK said Friday in a statement that the recall was a precaution and
they would investigate to see whether there was something wrong with
the batch. Another province which has been using the vaccine did not
report any rise in adverse reactions.

Of the 6.6 million people that had been vaccinated, there have been
36 serious adverse reactions, Dr. David Butler-Jones, the country's
Chief Public Health Officer, said earlier this week. One person was
believed to have died from a serious reaction to the vaccine, but the
death had not been conclusively linked to the flu shot, he said.

Why is this news coming out of China?

6 severe allergic reactions in Canada and a total of 36 serious adverse reactions out of 6.6 million people that have been vaccinated? Sounds much, much less dangerous than many have been assuming it would be..

 

[S. C.]

I can't find any other articles on this. CNN, msnbc or when I google Canada news.

 

[Tinijocaro]

http://localtechwire.com/business/local_tech_wire/news/blogpost/6462512/

"Report: Glaxo pulling 170,000 H1N1 doses in Canada
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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — The CTV television network in Canada reported Friday that more than 100,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine produced by GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) are being withdrawn across the country because Manitoba health officials said they had noticed a higher-than-usual number of allergic reactions from one batch.

GlaxoSmithKline has asked several provinces to set aside the 170,000 doses from the questionable batch, the private TV network said.

GSK told the network that the recall is a precaution and they will investigate to see whether there is something wrong with the batch.

"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," CTV quoted GSK as saying in a written statement Thursday.

One or two allergic reactions are expected in a batch that size, but health officials recorded six severe allergic reactions and alerted GSK."

It's this particular batch that has a higher than normal number of adverse reactions.

Also- several different companies are making this vaccine, each their own way so we can't expect that all H1N1 vaccines around the world are created equal.

 

[dumboiu]

Why is this news coming out of China?

6 severe allergic reactions in Canada and a total of 36 serious adverse reactions out of 6.6 million people that have been vaccinated? Sounds much, much less dangerous than many have been assuming it would be..

This came from a medical information alert list. They just happened to make reference to the Chinese source. Tinijocaro just offered you another link which is not from China. Either way, it is important information......whether you choose to believe that or not. Additionally, it is wise for them to pull the vaccine until they can identify the problem. Would you want to have a serious reaction from this vaccine?

 

[TheZue]

Here's the full article from CTV

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091119/Flu_Reaction_091119/20091120?hub=Health

 

[damo]

They are just pulling the one batch.

Here is the article from the Toronto Star. http://www.healthzone.ca/health/new...of-h1n1-vaccine-recalled-for-severe-reactions

 

[Mickeyistheman]

Wow, funny that this happened on the 19th. The same day that my mother who lives in New Jersey had a severe reaction and is still not feeling 100%, now this makes me quite nervous.

 

[sparklynails23]

Good to know. I think my son and I will just skip it. H1N1 seems to have hit our area and is pretty much over here, anyway. I "think" we may have had it, but how can you tell for sure when nobody's testing for it?

 

[Green Tea]

There was a post here a few days about about the mother having a severe reaction. I wonder if she is in Canada?

 

[C.Ann]

This came from a medical information alert list. They just happened to make reference to the Chinese source. Tinijocaro just offered you another link which is not from China. Either way, it is important information......whether you choose to believe that or not. Additionally, it is wise for them to pull the vaccine until they can identify the problem. Would you want to have a serious reaction from this vaccine?

Sorry - I didn't stay up last night to see if anyone else responded..

Would I "want" to have a serious reaction from this vaccine? Of course not - but I wouldn't want to have swine flu either - nor would I want anyone in my family to have it.. I think the numbers in the article are far too small for it to be a major concern for most people..

Right now the number of people coming down with the swine flu seem to be dropping a bit in some areas, but the medical experts are warning that after the holidays (lots of people gathering together) and the kids going back to school in January, it will likely cause another dramatic increase in wide spread swine flu.. Hopefully more will be vaccinated by then - but it all hinges on distribution..

It's a personal choice that everyone needs to make.. For some people "36" will seem like a huge number - for others 4000+ dead and parents having to bury 540+ children will look much more daunting.. It's all a matter of perspective - and which "odds" are more meaningful to you..

 

[clovergirl5]

Sorry - I didn't stay up last night to see if anyone else responded..

Would I "want" to have a serious reaction from this vaccine? Of course not - but I wouldn't want to have swine flu either - nor would I want anyone in my family to have it.. I think the numbers in the article are far too small for it to be a major concern for most people..

Right now the number of people coming down with the swine flu seem to be dropping a bit in some areas, but the medical experts are warning that after the holidays (lots of people gathering together) and the kids going back to school in January, it will likely cause another dramatic increase in wide spread swine flu.. Hopefully more will be vaccinated by then - but it all hinges on distribution..
It's a personal choice that everyone needs to make.. For some people "36" will seem like a huge number - for others 4000+ dead and parents having to bury 540+ children will look much more daunting.. It's all a matter of perspective - and which "odds" are more meaningful to you.. [/COLOR]

Totally agree....we are still waiting for 2nd shot for kids and 1st for dh and I. Was hit very hard in our area in Oct. #'s are very much down now for the time being. Stay healthy everyone.

 

[RadioNate]

Please be aware that the Canadian version of the H1N1 vaccine is NOT the same as the US version. The Canadian version uses adjuvants which the US version does not. There are adjuvant free versions available in Canada (for pregnant women and other 'high risk' people) but the majority of vaccines there do contain adjuvants. According to the Toronto Star article, this batch DID contain adjuvants.

None of the US H1N1 vaccines contain adjuvant. Period.

You can't really compare the 2 vaccines because they aren't the same. They are made differently. They have different components. They are not the same.

I know there are Canadians here, so this may be good info for them but it really doesn't effect US residents because our vaccine is different.

 

[kilee]

Earlier this week, the country's chief public health officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones, noted that of the 6.6 million doses of H1N1 vaccine given so far to Canadians, there have been 36 serious adverse reactions reported.

This is lifted right out of the CTV article. This is a very important phrase. This is .000545% of the people vaccinated had reactions.

That is pretty much your same rate as having an adverse reaction to any medication you're prescribed, having something go wrong during surgery, or even being hit by a car.

Good to know. I think my son and I will just skip it. H1N1 seems to have hit our area and is pretty much over here, anyway. I "think" we may have had it, but how can you tell for sure when nobody's testing for it?

I respect everyone's right to get vaccinated or not. However, while there seems to be a "down-swing" in H1N1, this happened after the May-June outbreak. I'd be willing to bet there will be at least 1 more massive outbreak before this years flu season is over.

 

[Tinijocaro]

No, it is not 36 out of 6.6 million. It is 36 out of a particular batch of 170,000. You can do the math but they "allow" only one or two severe reactions per batch and 36 is MUCH higher than the allowable number of adverse reactions. It indicates a problem with that particular batch. Does that mean that no one should get the vaccine? No, it means that everyone better hope that if their vaccine was from that batch, that they don't have a severe adverse reaction.

 

[4 mickey]

Hi
I'm from canada and as of today I still saw ( at the medical facilities where they give the vaccines alot of people ) of the 6 millions peoples goverments would like to vaccins before xmas almost 2 millions already have ( over here the vaccine is free ) ..really just a few case of bad allergic reaction but alot of happy people that got the famous vaccines because who wants to get that swine flu I know a few people might get a reactions ( always possibel even withe over the counter medecines ) but all in all better then getting sick specialy withe xmas around the corner ( and a lot of family visiting one another ) for one although I have no underlying conditions I am really really glad I took it better safe than sorry is my modo .

 

[TheZue]

No, it is not 36 out of 6.6 million. It is 36 out of a particular batch of 170,000. You can do the math but they "allow" only one or two severe reactions per batch and 36 is MUCH higher than the allowable number of adverse reactions. It indicates a problem with that particular batch. Does that mean that no one should get the vaccine? No, it means that everyone better hope that if their vaccine was from that batch, that they don't have a severe adverse reaction.

It is 36/6.6 million, it's SIX out of that batch of 170,000 and most of it was recalled so you can't use 6/170,000 either as a rate for that batch because that was too low. If they were going to have an adverse reaction it would have happened already.

 

[dumboiu]

No, it is not 36 out of 6.6 million. It is 36 out of a particular batch of 170,000. You can do the math but they "allow" only one or two severe reactions per batch and 36 is MUCH higher than the allowable number of adverse reactions. It indicates a problem with that particular batch. Does that mean that no one should get the vaccine? No, it means that everyone better hope that if their vaccine was from that batch, that they don't have a severe adverse reaction.

Agreed.

 

[C.Ann]

Please be aware that the Canadian version of the H1N1 vaccine is NOT the same as the US version. The Canadian version uses adjuvants which the US version does not. There are adjuvant free versions available in Canada (for pregnant women and other 'high risk' people) but the majority of vaccines there do contain adjuvants. According to the Toronto Star article, this batch DID contain adjuvants.

None of the US H1N1 vaccines contain adjuvant. Period.
You can't really compare the 2 vaccines because they aren't the same. They are made differently. They have different components. They are not the same.

I know there are Canadians here, so this may be good info for them but it really doesn't effect US residents because our vaccine is different.

Perhaps the adjuvant is the culprit.. Hopefully they won't have to resort to adding this to the supply in the U.S..

 

[TheZue]

Perhaps the adjuvant is the culprit.. Hopefully they won't have to resort to adding this to the supply in the U.S..

I actually think it was probably people with egg allergies and for whatever reason that batch may have had more allergen left over in it. I have always had egg allergies that fortunately are not life threatening, but I didn't know until I was in my 20s and got an allergy test for something totally unrelated (hayfever). I would have never known otherwise...I really thought I might have irritable bowel/got a lot of food poisoning but it was so random I never bothered going to my doctor...so if somebody was allergic, didn't know, and had it injected into their blood stream with a product meant to ramp up their immune response I can see how that could be a real problem.