Kudos to Dr. Frieden, who said, perhaps in response to front page news that Novartis' (squalene-adjuvanted) swine flu vaccine would require only one dose (after initial testing in 100 subjects):
“We don’t anticipate that we’ll be using adjuvanted vaccine in most of the scenarios that we anticipate now, though that could change...”
Controversial in U.S.
Adjuvants are controversial because some studies show they cause immune disorders in mice. The U.S. Health and Human Services Department declared a public health emergency over swine flu in April, giving the Food and Drug Administration the power to allow the use of unapproved medical products including adjuvants.
The U.S. never had to consider the risks of adjuvants in flu shots because the vaccines have “worked so tremendously well” without the additives, said Lone Simonsen, research director in the department of global health at George Washington University in Washington, in July. Flu vaccines with adjuvants have been used safely “for years” in Italy and Spain, Simonsen said.
The U.S. has been slow to approve the use of adjuvants because of safety concerns, and for fear of giving Americans an excuse to avoid getting the shots, said John Treanor, a University of Rochester researcher, in July as well.
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