Concerns Over the Swine Flu (H1N1) Vaccine

This year's flu season has been met with increased public concern compared to years past due to the emergence of the H1N1 "swine flu" influenza virus. Concern is largely over the safety of the H1N1 vaccine being produced at an accelerated rate so that it may be distributed to high priority individuals, such as the young, the pregnant, and those with conditions that leave them vulnerable to life threatening complications from influenza infection. Major safety concerns over the development of this vaccine are, however, assertions that lack both scientific backing and support from domestic and international health care agencies.

Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) have issued statements that the H1N1 vaccine has the same safety profile as the annually produced seasonal flu vaccine. Why are these agencies so confident in this assertion? Simply put, the H1N1 vaccine is being produced using the same manufacturing process by the same manufacturers that formulate the seasonal vaccine every year. It's just like the seasonal vaccine, only it is being produced on an expedited schedule.

The genetic variation in the H1N1 virus is enough that it warrants the production of a novel protective vaccine. Our immune system may not be able to neutralize the virus before illness is incurred, just like the seasonal vaccine. However, this genetic disparity is not enough to change the reliable manufacturing process that has yielded a safe and trustworthy vaccine for many years. Dr. Tom Frieden, Director of the CDC, best illustrated this assessment with the following quote when asked a question about the safety of the H1N1 vaccine: "Again, we've said it, I don't know how else we could say it, but it's the same manufacturing process, it's the same factory, it's the same safeguards and if we had had H1N1 earlier in the season, we would have most like included it in the seasonal flu vaccine so it would have just been part of the regular seasonal flu vaccination program as it will be for the southern hemisphere in the coming flu season."

This means the most commonly experienced side effect will be soreness at the injection site. Other possible and rarer side effects are muscle and joint pain, along with mild fever. Hypersensitivity reactions can occur, but that risk is run with every vaccine on the market and is rare for influenza vaccines. The vaccine is derived from eggs, so individuals with that particular allergy are advised to not get vaccinated. Just like the seasonal influenza virus, the benefits of getting vaccinated greatly outweigh the risks.

Another of the concerns being voiced over the safety of the H1N1 vaccine is the presence of a preservative known as thimerosal, which contains ethylmercury. All reputable scientific data suggests that thimerosal in the amount that is present in influenza vaccine carries no significant risk other than local irritation. There is no definitive evidence that the thimerosal preserved influenza vaccine is harmful to children or to pregnant women. However, thimerosal is being phased out as a precaution and is not present vaccines used in children approved after 2001. If this does nothing else than increase the positive perception of vaccines by the public then it is well worth it. Thimerosal will not be used in some single dose preparations of the H1N1 vaccine, only in multi-dose vials that are used for several injections. The nasally delivered vaccine is thimerosal free and offers a viable alternative for concerned parents with healthy children over the age of 2.

The H1N1 vaccine has been met with negative public perception due to the accelerated rate for which it is being produced and the stigma associated thimerosal. Thimerosal has been suggested by some to be associated with autism, although concrete scientific evidence for this connection is lacking. This however, is no consolation for concerned parents who only want the best for their children. The public should be aware thatthimerosal free preparations are available and the benefits of the H1N1 vaccine far outweigh the risks, particularly in individuals considered high priority by the CDC.

Additional Information:

Innoculation Misinformation
http://www.newsweek.com/id/218513/page/4

Sources:

General Questions and Answers on Thimerosal.
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/thimerosal_qa.htm

Safety of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Vaccines
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/frequently_asked_questions/vaccine_preparedness/safety_approval/en/index.html

Thimerosal in Seasonal Influenza Vaccine
http://www.cdc.gov/Flu/about/qa/thimerosal.htm

Weekly 2009 H1N1 Flu Media Briefing, October 27, 2009, 1p.m.
http://www.cdc.gov/media/transcripts/2009/t091027.htm