Merck Recalls 1.2 Million Doses Of Childhood Vaccine

[Refugee 7]

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Merck & Co. (MRK) is recalling about 1.2 million doses of a childhood vaccine used to protect against meningitis, pneumonia and other serious illnesses after the company found the equipment used to make the vaccine was contaminated with bacteria.

The Whitehouse Station, N.J., firm has halted production of the vaccine and likely won't resume production until the third quarter of 2008 and shipments until the fourth quarter, probably causing a temporary shortage of the widely used vaccine.

Julie Gerberding, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, said there's no health threat to children who may have received the recalled vaccine, known as the Hib vaccine. The recall involves vaccine shipped starting in April 2007.

Merck is one of two providers of the Hib vaccine, which is given to children in three doses, typically at the ages of two months, four months and 12 months. The vaccine is designed to protect against illnesses caused by the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae type B, and is unrelated to seasonal influenza, health officials said.

The recall involves 11 lots of a Hib vaccine, Pedvaxhib, and two lots of a combination vaccine for both Hib and hepatitis B sold under the brand name Comvax, Merck said. The Merck vaccine is made at a manufacturing plant in West Point, Pa.

Federal health officials said the recall is precautionary and there's currently no evidence the vaccine itself was contaminated. However, Merck said because it could not assure the sterility of the vaccine it was recalling lots shipped from April through November. Sanofi Aventis SA (SNY) is the other Hib vaccine provider. Anne Schuchat, the director of CDC's immunization center, said Sanofi has agreed to step up its production of the Hib vaccine.

Donna Cary, a spokeswoman for Sanofi's U.S. vaccine unit, said the company was working closely with the CDC but could not yet give estimates of how much additional vaccine the company could provide to the U.S. market.

The CDC said about 14 million Hib doses are needed annually to vaccinate children, which on average is supplied about equally by Merck and Sanofi.

Merck last year had a manufacturing problem related to its chickenpox vaccine that continues to hamper production of two other vaccines containing the same ingredient. A Merck spokeswoman said the Hib-vaccine issue involved the same Pennsylvania production facility, but different buildings within the facility, and that "the issues are completely different."

[agirl 0]

God! Isn't that just lovely.....:mad:

[Starfish 0]

I'm glad my kids are mostly grown, if they were little now I'm not sure I'd even want to get them vaccinated after all the things I've read lately.

[Mary Jane 49 0]

Thats very scary!

[Echosoftom 3]

Just one more thing to add to the list. I'm with you Nancy, knowing what I know now about these vaccinations and these greedy pharmaceutical companies, I'm not sure I'd want my kid immunized.

[AmyLou 5]

Merck's new slogan -

"Because there's just not enough to worry about these days."

[Dynabeat Tim 0]

You got that right, another greedy company, probably giving all the dem's and rep's a kick back......or they own stock in the company, thats why the law is your child "has to have their shots" to go to school !!! Ever wonder what Ritalin is really doing to our children ? Especially our nation's young boys ? My simple cure for an over active child .......keep him active ! Get outside and do some work.

and Yell (not berate them though ) when they need it, Yelling at a child is better than giving them drugs anyday. Or does a child get addicted to yelling ? and Love...give a child more love today than he'll ever need tomorrow !!

[Refugee 7]

That is why I can't stand the thought of a city, state or government telling (forcing) me to get my children immunized.

With all the recent information we have in regards to immunizations....hmmmm.

[nurktwin 2,143]

i'm against any government (city-state-fed) telling me what to do. if it wasn't for me and you, they'd be out of a job!! now they can try to live like me and you, get 1 of all these jobs bush has created (part time-min wage-no benefits-no perks and no special treatment) and see how these assholes fare.

[Echosoftom 3]

I still can't believe we blindly marched our children to the doctors to be vaccinated without questioning anything. It was our government for chissakes! We should have known better. And to think just a few short years ago we healthcare workers laughed at the Osteopathic community for refusing to do immunizations. Well, I guess now the jokes on us. I now see what their concerns were all about. :mad:

[Refugee 7]

Both of my daughters have an Osteopath for their primary physician. He's wonderful! If my doctor decideds to move or retire, I'm having Dr. Harvey be my doctor.

[Echosoftom 3]

^ You know something Ref. I've been thinking about going to one for my diabetes. I talked to a co-worker about her Osteopath not long ago and I was really impressed with their treatment for her diabetes.

[nurktwin 2,143]

i'm not sticking up for the fed or drug companies, but i don't think most people know what's really going on. the public has bitched for years that other countries have drugs that aren't available in the usa. so they travel to have whatever done. to me, this speeds up the process to get drugs into our market by the FDA and they aren't really tested enough. that's why all these drugs have problems and now that we got what we wanted, we still bitch. in my mind all these recalls are a direct problem created by the people of this country that can't stop complaining. a drug can easily take 20 or more years to develope and then might fail in late phase 3 studies. i can't directly fault the drug companies, it's the pressure people put on the FDA to get these approved ahead of time. in other words, people can't shut up on drugs or any other subject. and thats why we can't have a nude twister party at ames' house.....lol.

[wild1forever 152]

This is an issue that REALLY gets me going, but I will exercise restraint, lol.

I still can't believe we blindly marched our children to the doctors to be vaccinated without questioning anything.

Sharon, my sons are two years apart. When my older son was being vaccinated, the doctor rolled his eyes (yet complied) with giving him IPV (polio injection) instead of the oral polio drink, and giving DTAP (acellular version) instead of the regular DTP. I requested those after the reading I'd done about vaccine safety; of course, I was a hysterical hippie to be worried about that stuff, right? As it turned out, though, by time my younger son was getting his vaccinations, the doc had "revised" his guidelines to include giving the IPV and DTAP rather than the OPV and DTP. :icon_rolleyes:

[agirl 0]

Nurk, you are absolutely right. I was thinking the same thing. I remember thinking that it took so long in this country to get drugs ok'd. Now look at the mess. Not only do they shove them out the door as fast as they can, but they advertise all over the place. There are no scruples any more. And it's all about MONEY!!