Canada will provide normal swine flu vaccine to pregnant women, younger children

[Gert van der Hoek]

Canada will provide normal swine flu vaccine to pregnant women, younger children


BY SHARON KIRKEY, CANWEST NEWS SERVICESEPTEMBER 25, 2009



Canada has ordered 1.8 million doses of unadjuvanted swine flu vaccine for pregnant women and children under the age of three, Canada's chief public health officer said Friday.

The move recognizes that not enough clinical data exists on the safety and effectiveness of adjuvanted vaccines in these groups, Dr. David Butler-Jones said

Adjuvants are substances added to vaccines to boost a person's immune response to the vaccine.

Canada was planning to purchase 1.2 million doses of unadjuvanted vaccine for pregnant women, this adds 600,000 doses for infants age six months to age three, who are among the priority groups.

Canada has order 50 million doses of adjuvanted vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline. The adjuvant is an oil-and-water emulsion similar to one used in Europe with seasonal flu shots and other vaccines, without any serious concerns with adverse events, Butler-Jones said.

http://www.canada.com/health/Canada...ant+women+younger+children/2033809/story.html

 

[Snowy Owl]

Re: Canada will provide normal swine flu vaccine to pregnant women, younger children

After finnally get the feds to accept 1.2 millions doses od non-adjuvanted GSK vaccines, we have a small victory today. 600, 000 more un-adjuvented vaccines for children under 3yrs old.

But our goal is that all children and susceptible persons should have access to un-adjuvented vaccines.

More work to come but going forward, smal step at the times.

Snowy