Merck Recalls Vaccines
What Concerned Parents Need to Know About Their Children's Risk
Merck & Co., Inc. and the FDA have announced the voluntary recall of over 1 million doses of HIB and hepatitis B vaccines.
So what does that mean for the children who have recently been vaccinated? According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the FDA (Federal Drug Administration), there is no apparent health risk associated with this voluntary recall.
If a child received one of these vaccines there should be no problem. However, if the child should exhibit any symptoms such as fever, swelling or redness at the injection site, parents should call the pediatrician immediately. These symptoms usually appear within the first few days after the vaccine is given.
Why the Recall?
The recall was prompted when Merck discovered a bacterium on the manufacturing equipment. Fortunately none of the recalled vaccine has proven to be contaminated, giving rise to the hope that none of the vaccine that has been distributed since April 2007 was contaminated.
The bacterium found on the equipment is Bacillus cereus which commonly causes food poisoning. It can also cause such illness as meningitis, sepsis and skin infections.
What Should Parents Do?
Parents of children recently vaccinated for HIB should contact the pediatrician or clinic to find out if their child received a dose from one of the recalled lots, and what they need to watch for. The pediatrician or clinic will know which lot of vaccine the child child was given.
Merck & Co. Inc. has recalled 11 lots of the Pedvax HIB and 2 lots from its COMVAX line. The Pedvax HIB protects children from haemophilus influenza type b (HIB). This bacteria can cause illnesses such as bacterial meningitis, pneumonia and infections in the blood stream. COMVAX is a vaccine to protect children form haemophilus influenza type b (HIB) as well as hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a virus that can cause liver disease.
Please note the HIB is not a flu vaccine. The flu shot a child may have been given is not associated with this recall.
What is This Vaccine?
These vaccines are typically given to infants and toddlers in three or four doses at their 2,4 and 6 month check ups and again at their 12 to 15 month check ups.
Children who are cared for in day care, or similar public settings, are most susceptible to the rapid spread of illnesses such as bacterial meningitis, pneumonia, epiglottis.
There is another version of vaccine available from Sanofi Pasteur to protect children from these illnesses, but it is presently available in somewhat limited supply. However, the CDC says that since the vaccine rate of children is so high (about 94% of toddlers are current with their vaccinations) the current risk of infection is minimal. If a child is exposed to any of these illnesses, parents should contact the pediatrician or clinic immediately. Merck is working with the CDC and sanofi Pasteur to meet the shortage as quickly as possible.
Resources:
CDC Q&A and a list of lots recalled
