MMR vaccine strikes in Vietnam : 1 dead, 5 critical.

May 14, 2006

Probe on into cause of child’s death following inoculation http://www.thanhniennews.com/healthy/?catid=8 & newsid=15408 Following the death of a child in Ho Chi Minh City after a vaccination, Vietnam’s deputy health minister said it

would take a few more weeks to analyze the UK-made vaccine and to arrive at the cause of death. Trinh Quan Huan said his ministry had asked the national vaccine analysis institute to examine Priorix, the vaccine given to the child for measles, mumps, and rubella. On Wednesday and Thursday six children, all in HCMC’s District 5, were hospitalized in critical condition after getting vaccinated at local district health centers. The worst affected was the deceased child, 13-month-old Ng.Thi.B, who was admitted to the Pediatrics Hospital No 1 Wednesday in medical shock and with breathing difficulty. She had

swelling and sores at the injection area and her temperature had shot up to 40oC (104oF). She died later the same day. The others were also hospitalized with similar symptoms but they are now out of danger. Huan said Vietnam used dozens of millions of doses every year but had never faced such complications before. Priorix is produced by the UK’s GlaxoSmithKline and distributed by Zuellig Pharma. He assured his ministry would carefully verify how many doses were used from that particular batch and whether more children were affected. The results of the

analysis would come in a few more weeks and if the cause was found to be the low quality of Priorix, the health ministry would consider banning it, the deputy minister said. Speaking to Thanh Nien, Nguyen Van Binh, deputy head of the ministry’s Preventive Health Department, said a vaccine was allowed for distribution only if it met safety and quality requirements. However, he said, there were many factors that could impact on the vaccine quality like storage and transportation, and the personnel giving the shots. Binh said the National Inspection Institute, the HCMC Pasteur Institute, and the HCMC health department were all seeking to discover the cause of death and the other symptoms. MMR vaccines contain a mixture of live, but weakened viruses, and work by provoking the body's immune response without causing the diseases. This vaccine is given in two doses as part of a childhood vaccination schedule. There have been several media reports over a possible link between the vaccine and autism and bowel disease. The UK’s Medical Research Council, after reviewing current evidence and research, has concluded there is no link between the MMR vaccine and these disorders. Reported by Lien Chau – Translated by Thu Thuy "Our ideal is not the spirituality that withdraws from life but the conquest of life by the power of the spirit." - Aurobindo.

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