GlaxoSmithKline Recalls H1N1 Vaccine in Canada, Allergy Risk

Post date: Nov 24, 2009 4:40:59 PM

GlaxoSmithKline Recalls H1N1 Vaccine in Canada Over

'Life-Threatening' Allergy Risk

Of the 6.6 million people that had been vaccinated,

there were 36 serious adverse reactions, this week

said Dr. David Butler-Jones, chief public health officer.

OTTAWA, Nov. 20 About 170,000 doses of A/H1N1 flu vaccine are being

withdrawn in Canada from Friday after health officials reported an unusually high

number of allergic reactions.

Health officials in the western province of Manitoba reported Thursday a

higher-than-usual number of allergic reactions after using vaccine from a batch

manufactured by a factory of British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in Quebec.

Usually one or two allergic reactions are expected for a batch of that size,

but Manitoba has recorded six severe allergic reactions.