They don’t explain that usually hepatitis B resolves itself and causes no long term problems, except in the rare case of infants born to mothers infected with the disease, and only then.  (Mothers can be tested for the disease.)  They also don’t say that nurses damaged by the hepatitis b vaccine are among the more outspoken people against the vaccine.  But who’s listening? -- SM

Immunization Newsbriefs © Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii’s new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.

August 13, 2001

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

“First Year Glasgow Pupils to Receive Hepatitis B Jabs”

Glasgow Herald (www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk) (08/11/01) P. 8

In Scotland, health officials announced recently that all first year pupils in the city of Glasgow are being offered vaccinations against hepatitis B.  This follows an increase in the number of people infected by the virus, which can cause severe liver disease.  In Glasgow, cases of hepatitis B infection have risen from 55 in 1995, to 133 in 1999, reflecting a similar increase all across the United Kingdom.  In the Scottish city, the parents of 12,000 first year secondary school pupils have been offered the vaccination by the Greater Glasgow Health Board (GGHB),  and depending on the up-take for the program, health officials will consider launching immunization campaigns on a regular basis.

According to Dr. Syed Ahmed, a consultant in public medicine at GGHB, the vaccine is very effective and very safe, and it is routinely given to nurses.

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.