CSL speaks out on vaccination 'myths'

Pharmaceutical giant, CSL, which is responsible for manufacturing the 21 million doses of H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine at the behest of the Federal Government, responded today to claims reported in the media that the vaccine was not ready or safe enough to be rolled out to the general public.

"I don't believe there is any credible evidence that this vaccine will be any different from our normal seasonal influenza vaccines," said Dr Alan Hampson, Influenza Specialist Group and former Deputy Director WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference & Research on Influenza and former Research & Development Manager at CSL.

At the press conference, CSL gathered a panel of industry luminaries and representatives to make its case, including Dr Alan Hampson; Professor Robert Booy and Professor Raina MacIntyre from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance; Professor Terry Nolan, Foundation Head of Population Health at the University of Melbourne; Dr Michael Moore, CEO Cetnral Sydney GP Network; and Dr Michael Wooldridge, former Federal Health Minister, 1996-2001 under the Howard government.

The panellists stressed that the vaccine was produced in a similar amount of time to the regular seasonal flu vaccine except that CSL undertook extensive testing not only with adults but with children as well.

"It took five months to make this vaccine," said Professor Booy. "How long do we take to make the usual one and bring it to market? Five months. No different what so ever, and yet in that five month period we've put in a lot more testing.

The panellists proceeded to address the 'myths' that have been reported in the media over the past couple of days, such as that the severity of swine flu is less than expected thus obviating the need for a mass vaccination programme. According to the panellists, swine flu has proven severe in some cases and has already resulted in 4,500 hospitalisations and 179 deaths. They also pointed out the flu has been shown to spread during summer months and suggested there's a possibility Australia may have a rebound of infections following the northern hemisphere's flu season, which starts soon.

They also responded to claims that the vaccine could cause a rare form of paralysis called Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), as occurred during a swine flu vaccination programme in the United States in 1976. According to the panel, the risks of contracting GBS are actually greater if one contracts swine flu than if they take the vaccine.

CSL's use of multi-dose vials has also been questioned but CSL's spokesperson, Dr Rachel David, stressed that it would have been impossible to roll out the required 21 million doses of the vaccine in single-use vials. Multi-use vials have also safely been used in the United States for its seasonal influenza vaccine over the last 30 years.

The presence of mercury in the form of the preservative thiomersal has been questioned by anti-vaccine advocates. However, according to Dr Wooldridge, the amount of mercury in a single dose of the vaccination is similar to the amount found in a common tin of tuna, thus representing no significant health risk to adults or children.

The vaccine has also been approved for use by pregnant women, and the panel indicated that it strongly recommended all pregnant women to get the vaccine as they have been disproportionately impacted by swine flu. Children aged between six months and nine years won't be included in the first round of vaccinations as CSL conducts ongoing paediatric clinical trials, with results expected mid-late October.