CSL Biotherapies Flu Vaccine Not Safe for Kids – Amid a lot of bad press that vaccines have received lately, doctors have been advised to stop using one brand of flu shot on small children. A government panel determined that the vaccine may not be safe for young children, as some data has shown that there can be complications. Many children suffered convulsions and fever after receiving the shot in Australia and New Zealand. Although they were just convulsions that were caused by the high fever, it still worried many parents. No one died from using the vaccine.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices said that doctors should avoid using the flu vaccine made by CSL Biotherapies on young children. They said that any child under five should receive a different vaccine, as they are less likely to feel the effects.
The panel also stated that data has shown that the flu shot presents more of a risk for any child under five, generally. Australian investigators have not found anything in the CSL vaccine that could explain the problem, but they are ruling that the cautious way seems to be the smart choice at this point in time.
It will be interesting to see if the company does anything to put a stop to this. Because nothing can be found in the vaccine itself that suggests that it could potentially cause more of a problem than any other vaccine, they may want the court system to take a look at the ruling and make sure that it is a legal one.