Swine Flu Vaccine Problems Reported in Canada with Allergic Reactions

[jdscirto]

Swine Flu Vaccine Problems Reported in Canada with Allergic Reactions

Published: November 25th, 2009 • No Comments

A batch of 170,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline PLC has been placed on hold in Canada after reports surfaced of an unusually high number of severe allergic reactions to the swine flu vaccine.

Health care professionals in Canada have been asked not to use the batch of vaccines, which only involve a small portion of the 7.5 million doses GlaxoSmithKline indicates they distributed in the country. The batch was only distributed in Canada and the swine flu problems do not appear to have affected any batches in the United States.

GlaxoSmithKline has received at least six reports of severe allergic reactions to swine flu vaccine doses from the batch, and is conducting investigation into whether there is a problem with that particular batch. According to a spokesman for Canada’s health minister, most of doses from the batch have already been given out and the H1N1 vaccine allergic reactions could be a statistical anomaly.

Canadian health care professionals in six provinces that received the H1N1 vaccine batch on November 2 were alerted to the problem on November 18. Usually, only about two severe allergic reactions can be expected in a vaccine batch of similar size, according to a report in USA Today.

The reported swine flu vaccine reactions occurred immediately after injection, lasted for only a short time and do not appear to have caused any long-term health problems. The cases all included symptoms of anaphylaxis, which includes trouble breathing, tightness of the chest and swelling in the throat and mouth. Anaphylaxis is easily treatable, but can be fatal if untreated.

[gardenchic]

Well i got both at the same time, my normal flu shot arm is black and blue, and i got them last thursday! My h1 arm is fine, but me and my daugher and son were ill for 5 days! But it had nothing to do with that thank goodness!, we had chills, fever, my husband, he just got his, he has wobbly legs and a metal taste in his mouth,,, me and the kids were very dry,,, we kept drinking like crazy! i am always ill with just the regular flu shot, always have been, even as a kid!