Sunday, August 9, 2009

WHO recommends that countries "use ones containing adjuvants"/ Associated Press

Per the AP:
"...To increase the global supply of swine flu vaccines, WHO recommends that
countries use ones containing adjuvants, a component that stretches the
vaccine's active ingredient and boosts the body's immune response. Adjuvants are commonly used in flu vaccines in Europe, [only in those over 65, and only in
some countries--Nass] but there are no licensed flu vaccines with adjuvants
in the U.S.

"There is little or no information on how safe flu vaccines with adjuvants are in pregnant women and children — two of the groups most at risk in the pandemic.

"Kieny [of WHO--Nass] dismissed concerns adjuvanted vaccines might not be ideal for groups such as pregnant women. "We see no apparent safety signal," she said. "There is no safety concern with using adjuvanted vaccine."'
Then again, Kieny has also stated, “To be absolutely honest, of course it is only when you have a large-scale distribution of vaccines that you know the safety profile,” in a recent briefing.
UPDATE Sept.3:  "Kieny stressed that it was neither possible nor necessary to vaccinate every person against the H1N1 flu, which has killed some pregnant women and people with other diseases such as diabetes but caused manageable flu symptoms in most patients," Reuters writes. "We should not be 'hypnotized' by vaccines," Kieny said. "There are other measures, such as social distancing, school closure, avoidance of large gatherings, antibiotics and personal hygiene," she said, adding, "This is not like rabies, which is 100 percent fatal. We are talking about a disease from which most people recover very well" (MacInnis, 9/2).

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