Friday, April 23, 2010

Dozens of Australian children fall ill from flu vaccine

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/children_shealth/7622112/Dozens-of-Australian-children-fall-ill-from-flu-vaccine.html

And this is the cure. Really is it worth it?

Doctors across Australia have been ordered to stop giving young children the seasonal flu vaccine after 44 children fell ill hours after being immunised


The otherwise healthy children, all aged under five, suffered fevers, vomiting and febrile convulsions after receiving the vaccination. More than 20 were admitted to hospital and at least one child is seriously ill.

Jim Bishop, the country's chief medical officer, said that he was suspending vaccinations for under-five as a "precautionary measure". He said that children who had received the vaccine in the last 24 hours should be monitored closely by their parents.


"Until we know more we've suggested that we don't use that [seasonal flu vaccine] for the moment in children under five," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

"I'm advising all doctors today not to use it until we know a bit more.

"This may be part of the normal pattern once we see the whole picture, or it may be more than we would expect. "Therefore I just think it's wise and precautionary not to use it in children under five