TBD
WHO says adverse effects of H1N1 pandemic vaccine remain low
Over 65 million doses of the H1N1 pandemic vaccine have to date been administered worldwide. The World Health Organization says adverse effects remain low and that the pandemic vaccine has caused no deaths. Patrick Maigua reports from Geneva.
H1N1 pandemic vaccine
The World Health Organization says 40 countries are now undertaking public vaccination campaigns against the H1N1 influenza virus. WHO says although the number of adverse cases remains low, at least 30 deaths have been reported following the administration of the pandemic vaccine. Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, is the Director in charge of vaccine research at WHO.
"So far there have been a similar number of events reported, as we would see with seasonal flu vaccines. We have seen a rate of about 1 report for 10,000 doses of the vaccine. Only 5 reports out of 100 reports are of a serious event. A small number of deaths have occurred following vaccine administration. Although some investigations are still on going, results from the completed investigations reported to WHO, have ruled out that the pandemic vaccine is the cause of death."
She says there were no reasons why the pandemic vaccine should not be administered to children. WHO says developing countries can expect to start receiving their first shipments of the donated pandemic vaccines at the end of November. Patrick Maigua UN Radio Geneva
(duration: 1'13")
