Authorities forced to insist swine flu vaccine is safe

IRISH health authorities have been forced to insist the swine flu vaccine is safe and poses no risk to public safety after growing concern on the continent over the potential side-affects of the medication.

In two separate statements yesterday, the Department of Health and HSE moved to clarify concerns over the vaccine programme, noting that despite fears over the drug’s make-up it had been safely tested on “10,000 individuals”.

In the past 24 hours a national debate has been growing in Germany over the safety of the Pandemrix vaccine, with one medical organisation advising against using the drug due to a booster substance, or adjuvant, it contains.

Critics are unhappy that the German cabinet and military have been vaccinated with a H1N1 virus manufactured by Baxter Pharmaceuticals. The Government insists the Baxter vaccine had been ordered four months ago and deny any conspiracy

The controversy centres on an additive included in the Pandemrix vaccine manufactured by pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmith-Kline. The additive includes an inactive strain of the entire flu virus (adjuvant) as opposed to virus fragments in the Baxter vaccine.

In particular, concerns have been raised over the impact the medication could have on pregnant women and children under three years of age.

However, Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer at the Department of Health, insisted the vaccine had been approved by European and Irish authorities and the public had nothing to fear from it.

Dr Holohan said there were in excess of 70 clinical trials that had established the safety of the adjuvant.

In a similar statement, a HSE spokesperson also insisted there was no evidence the vaccine posed more risk than the virus itself.

“Neither vaccine being used by the HSE has live virus cells.

“As with any vaccines, risks have to be balanced with the benefits, but the authorities in Ireland are satisfied that the benefits from both vaccines outweigh any possible risks of side-affects,” said the spokesperson.

She added that as swine flu is continuing to spread in Ireland, with an increasing number of people being hospitalised and treated in intensive care units, “vaccination is the most important tool we have to protect the Irish population”.

A number of doctors here have declined to participate in the initial mass inoculation programme because of what they claimed was a lack of clarity over their legal standing should a patient become seriously ill.

The HSE has written to the Irish Medical Organisation in an attempt to clarify these concerns.

Meanwhile the swine flu vaccination programme in the North will get under way today, it was confirmed last night.

The first batches are being given to frontline health and social care staff who will swiftly be followed by the “at risk” groups.