Campaigners are already asking is it safe?
The Government says yes and what's more, they have removed a preservative from the whooping cough part of it that some had suggested was linked to autism.
The Department of Health had hoped news of the new five-in-one vaccine would not sneak out until Monday.
Such is the controversy over childhood immunisations and public suspicion. They'd even sent a note to doctors asking them to treat the information 'sensitively and keep it within the circle of heath professionals'.
Best laid plans and all that.
Because diptheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Hib and polio are to be combined and given to eight-week-old babies.
Inevitably, in light of MMR, concerns have been raised about five-in-one vaccine.
It has, however, also emerged that the DoH has taken the opportunity to remove a mercury-based preservative - thiomersal - from the whooping cough part of the vaccine. This follows controversy over whether the mercury was toxic or even linked to autism.
In fact alternatives to the mercury-based vaccine have been available for some time. But the DoH had rejected a change saying there was no evidence of any problems.
Yet in 1998, the US Food and Drug Administration suggested mercury be removed as a precautionary measure from vaccines, as did the European Commission's medicines safety agency.
Then last year a paper was published in a America suggesting a link with autism.
In a recent briefing paper from the Department of Health, it says thiomersal has been used in vaccines for over 60 years :
"The evidence does not show that this has put you or your children's health at risk."
Now it appears they have changed their minds. The vaccine will be introduced next month.
|
