Swine Flu Vaccine Safety Questions: U.S. could potentially use controversial adjuvants in swine flu vaccine

Friday, October 16, 2009

U.S. could potentially use controversial adjuvants in swine flu vaccine

Adjuvants are being used in swine flu vaccines in countries outside of the United States, including Canada, Europe and Australia. However, even though Canada is using an adjuvanted vaccine, it has also ordered 1.8 million doses of the unadjuvanted vaccine for use in pregnant women and children under the age of 3.
READ MORE HERE
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13555627?source=most_emailed

Related Story:
U.S. awards $60 million for vaccine boosters

READ MORE HERE
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE5974E420091008

Terms You Should Know

Adjuvant- In immunology, an adjuvant is an agent that may stimulate the immune system and increase the response to a vaccine, without having any specific antigenic effect in itself. (definition from wikipedia)

Two Adjuvant that may be used in the Swine Flu Vaccines that are cause for concern: MF59 and ASO3

“……Vaccines containing MF59 and ASO3 have not had Emergency Use Authorizations issued for them--yet. However, the government has purchased $698 million dollars' worth of these adjuvants in recent weeks.

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/07/20090713b.html https://

and WHO officials have indicated the likelihood of their use, which is the only way to achieve adequate amounts of vaccine for the US and world population in the fall.…..These vaccines have never been demonstrated to be safe in children, pregnant women or young adults. They have not undergone comprehensive testing; for example, MF59 has not and will not be tested for carcinogenicity by the manufacturer.
(See page 391)
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/NewsEvents/WorkshopsMeetingsConferences/ucm095708.pdf