A couple of days ago we informed you that the Spanish Pediatric Association gave free access to vaccination against rotavirus with the Rotateq and Rotarix vaccines. Well, yesterday the Spanish Agency of Medicine backed down and decreed that the "Rotateq" brand vaccine is withdrawn for finding traces of swine viruses in it.
UPDATE (11/8/2010): The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) has reviewed its previous recommendations and has decided to allow the release of batches of the RotaTeq vaccine again. The Rotateq vaccine returns to pharmacies.
European medicine agencies are evaluating the finding of porcine circovirus DNA fragments of types 1 and 2 (PCV-1 and PCV-2) in the Rotateq® vaccine. Although there is no data to suggest that the presence of these DNA fragments poses a health risk, these fragments should not be in this vaccine and therefore the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) recommends, as a precautionary measure. and as long as the investigation is not completed, do not initiate vaccination against rotavirus gastroenteritis with the Rotateq® vaccine.
We have been a few months with the appearance of alerts and news about certain vaccines that assure us one day that they are safe and the next day they are removed because they contain some products that are not recommended.
However, the Spanish Medicines Agency reassures previous users of this vaccine. There are no negative effects on health, they claim.
In children who have already received Rotateq® no further action is necessary since the efficacy of vaccination is not in question and does not present a safety problem. There is no data to suggest that vaccination with Rotateq® could have caused any damage, so special follow-up is not necessary.
Actually, I'm starting to get a little tired of the subject of vaccines. Already, incoculating children with these products is something that makes me worry, even though it is appropriate to avoid serious illnesses, I still think that the immune system has to be affected in some way. And in the case of diseases that do not cause serious problems in our environment, vaccination is unnecessary.
But what already seems intolerable to me is this coming and going of vaccine withdrawals, which end up creating great confusion and distrust in users. The preventive withdrawal of the "Rotateq" vaccine , which two days ago was assured as adequate, although it speaks of a protective attitude, makes us restless and ask ourselves about the way in which these medicines are produced. Do you feel safe?
UPDATE (July 2016): On the other rotavirus vaccine, Rotarix, after being withdrawn for six years, also returns to pharmacies.
Via | AEMPS
In Babies and more | Free route for “suspicious” rotavirus vaccines, Rotarix vaccine preventive withdrawal, Rotavirus vaccine approved
