E-DRUG: Hepatitis Vaccine administered in place of oral polio drops in India
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[According to news sites eg
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hepatitis-b-vaccine-given-in-place-of-polio-drops-in-bengal-67-children-ill/1170096/
it seems that parents rushed the children to hospital when the wrong vaccine was noted. The news report said that 'The condition of all the children is reported to be normal and they have been released from the hospital.' The West Bengal Government ... 'constituted a four-member committee headed by Chief Medical Officer (Health), Hooghly, to probe the incident. The panel has been asked to submit a report by Tuesday," said B Satpathy, Director of Health Services, West Bengal government. Terming the incident "not pardonable", Satpathy said the "major goof-up" did not turn fatal as the Hepatitis B vaccine is injectable, "and has no adverse effect on the health of the children when administered orally". "Such goof-ups cannot be tolerated. The workers should have been more careful,'' he added.'
We share Mohanta's concern. And what was Hep B vaccine doing in a polio focus camp?
And it must have been hard to get drops out of a hep v vial. BS]
Dear Colleagues,
It has been reported that Hepatitis B vaccine was administered in place of oral polio drops to over 100 children in West Bengal, India. Many children started vomiting after the vaccination and were hospitalized. The Government has taken the matter seriously suspending the concerned staff and ordering inquiry.
One of newspapers reported that parents only noticed this mix up. The children complained of vomiting.
Of the 67 children admitted to Arambagh sub-divisional hospital, 18 were discharged later and the rest have been kept under observation. Would the taste alone of this small amount (2 drops) cause vomiting?
Children have not received polio vaccine, that is an issue. That would have gone unnoticed.
But what are the safety issues! Primarily this is my concern!!
Though the mix up is not acceptable, but why this causes the effects in children. If tolerable by injection, then why it cannot be tolerable orally.
I would like to get enlightened further with your views.
Thanking you in advance!
Dr. Guru Prasad Mohanta, M. Pharm., Ph.D.,
FIC.
Professor, Department of Pharmacy,
Annamalai University,
P.O.
Annamalai Nagar - 608 002,
Tamil Nadu, INDIA,
Tel: 91-4144-239738(O),
238431(R),
Cell: 91-9443885138
Fax: 91-4144-238080
E. mail: gpmohanta@hotmail.com / gpmohanta@gmail.com