Parents denied better but dearer vaccine

DOCTORS are facing intense pressure to tell parents about the existence of a safer whooping cough jab after it emerged that the standard vaccine is ten times more likely to trigger side effects than its more expensive alternative.

Parents are being deliberately kept in the dark about Infanrix, a new, British-made injection, despite the fact that it is available free on the NHS for those who know to ask for it by name.

The Scotsman has also established that using Infanrix’s cheaper rival, the French-produced DTwP, has enabled health officials to slash the cost of protecting infants from diptheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) by almost 50 per cent.

Under UK policy, all babies receive the DTP vaccine at eight weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks, together with the HIb vaccine for flu. Doctors are required to make the cheaper DTwP the routine jab.

Last month, The Scotsman revealed that DTwP contains a highly controversial preservative known as thimerosal, which has been ordered out of medicines in the United States amid fears of its links to autism.

Numerous doctors are rebelling against NHS advice and figures suggest that Infanrix is now given for one in four triple DTP jabs in Scotland, with some GPs refusing to order the mercury-laden DTwP.

The Scotsman has established that tests on DTwP show it induces a string of side effects as it includes whooping cough virus cells which can play havoc with a baby’s immune system.

Files of safety trials in 2,500 children show that babies injected with the first dose of the DTwP are ten times more likely to suffer fever, defined by high temperatures of 38C or above, or start a sustained period of crying lasting more than one hour.

In addition, every dose of the DTwP jab injects infants with 25 micrograms of ethyl mercury, a neurotoxin which never fully leaves the body.

While parents have the right to ask doctors to use the more expensive vaccine, few know about Infanrix or are even aware they have a choice.

A further document obtained by The Scotsman is an internal safety sheet from Eli Lilly, the US company which makes thimerosal, to be read by its scientists handling the substance in its own laboratories.

It says: "Mercury causes mild to severe mental retardation and motor co-ordination impairment.

"This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm."

Parents groups last night reacted in fury that Infanrix is being kept secret. Olivia Cooper, from the JABS group, said: "This is horrifying, but if one jab costs a tenner and the other one costs twice as much, you can see why the government want to keep the expensive choice quiet."

Bill Welsh, the head of the Action Against Autism group, said the leaked memo from Eli Lilly is damning enough to force Scotland to have thimerosal withdrawn from all medicines.

Politicians from all parties are tonight expected to add to the call on ministers to reveal the full facts in a Holyrood debate so every parent can make an informed choice.

The Executive last night suggested it may be open to such a move - making Scotland the only part of the UK to give parents the choice to avoid exposing their child to mercury.

"Parents should be given a full explanation for immunisation and the alternatives," said an Executive spokesman.