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The Canadian government has purchased 200,000 doses of adjuvant-free vaccine from Australian vaccine producer CSL, to offer to pregnant women starting next week.
While adjuvants are generally assumed to be safe, there is scant scientific data on their use among pregnant women, and so the WHO has urged nations to try to provide unadjuvanted vaccines for them whenever feasible.
Helen Branswell of the Canadian Press brings us the details.
200,000 interim doses in response to concerns from pregnant women
By HELEN BRANSWELL The Canadian Press
Tue. Oct 27 - 4:46 AMTORONTO — Canada is importing adjuvant-free H1N1 vaccine from Australia for pregnant women, hoping to be able to offer that product sooner than if it waits for unadjuvanted vaccine from Canada to make it through the licensing process.
Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced Monday she signed an interim order that will allow 200,000 doses of adjuvant-free vaccine from CSL Ltd. to be used in this country.
The CSL vaccine should be available starting next week, said Dr. David Butler-Jones, head of the Public Health Agency of Canada.
"We have heard the concerns about pregnant women about having to wait for an unadjuvanted vaccine and we have been working very hard on providing it earlier, given they have always been considered a priority group," Aglukkaq said at a news conference in Ottawa.
