Science Blog

Swine flu vaccine safety

Professor Robert Booy and Dr Leon Herron, University of Sydney

2 September 2009

Professor Robert Booy and Dr Leon Herron are from the National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance (NCIRS) based at the University of Sydney. Robert Booy is also an advisor to government on influenza. Below they discuss swine flu (H1N1 09) vaccine safety.


---------------------------------------

My colleagues and I have become increasingly concerned by statements in the press from some 'medical commentators' which have been alarmist amd inaccurate regarding the safety of the newly developed swine flu vaccine (H1N1 09 California) for children and adults.

Regarding concerns about safety:

1. The time taken to produce a new vaccine each year is about 4-5 months - the same as has occurred with this vaccine.

2.  This new vaccine is undergoing much more testing than seasonal vaccine we are testing the new vaccine for immunogenicity (antibodies that indicate protection) and also for common side-effects in both children and adults - this is not usually done, so we have more data on safety than usual.

3. Surveillance measures are in place at GP and Hospital levels to quickly detect rarer side-effects after the vaccine program is rolled out - this surveillance will be more intense than we routinely do every year for seasonal flu vaccination.

4. The authorities in the USA (FDA) have formally stated that new vaccines be treated similarly to those made every year when we routinely do a strain change.

5. Multi-dose vials are considered safe and routinely used around the world for delivery of vaccines aginst various diseases including influenza, meningococcus and yellow fever; furthermore, in the hands of trained nurses, working to a protocol, who mostly deliver vaccination, breeches of safety resulting in infectious contamination have been vanishingly rare;

6. Extensive review of the role of mercury as a preservative has underlined its safety and lack of toxicity to children; in fact mercury helps to prevent microbial contamination.

7. Vaccination against a different swine flu in 1976 was associated with a one in one hundred thousand risk of a form of paralysis. Surveillance over the subsequent 30 years has not shown this risk to be present with other influenza vaccines and given that the current swine flu is genetically quite different, we have no reason to be concerned about this risk occurring again.

I declare a potential conflict of interest: at the NCIRS we have performed several studies on influenza vaccines produced by CSL and other companies I also wish to indicate that as a paediatrician, my patient's welfare is my utmost concern. I am vaccinated against influenza myself and I recommend it to all my close relatives.

Can I ask editors to consider giving links to the 'Australian Science Media Website' rather than conspiracy theorists like douglassreport.com.au which eg SMH refers to, despite this doctor having a decidedly minority and badly reasoned view.

-------------

If you are a scientist and wish to contribute to this Science Blog, please contact the AusSMC.
Comments received are moderated by the AusSMC and placement cannot be guaranteed.

The opinions expressed in this Science Blog are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Science Media Centre.