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PRESS RELEASE FROM THE IMMUNISATION AWARENESS SOCIETY INC., NZ
The Proposed Meningitis B Vaccine
The Immunisation Awareness Society (IAS) is concerned about Ministry of Health
(MoH) proposals to introduce a meningitis B vaccine to the vaccination schedule.
The meningitis vaccine will be added to the 28 vaccines for nine diseases that
New Zealand children are already expected to receive by the time they start
school. The government is planning to spend $100 million of NZ tax-payerıs
money on developing the vaccine and intends to begin testing on adults and
children this year. The total price tag is likely to be somewhat more when the
cost of producing, promoting and administering the vaccine are included. The
MoH intends that all people under 20 years of age will be vaccinated within
five years.
All vaccines have side-effects, varying from mild and localised pain through to
lifelong illness and disablement and sometimes death. No vaccine is 100%
effective and many have efficacy rates of only 70 80 %; any meningitis
vaccine is likely to have the same problems. Long-term side effects can
often gradually appear after many months, which is after the incubation time
for reporting adverse side-effects; this can prove to be extremely difficult in
sourcing compensation through the legal system for a clearly vaccine-related
permanent disability.
Between 20 and 50% of people carry the bacteria that causes meningococcal
meningitis in their throats, yet only a
very small percentage of these people
develop the disease. Research last year by the Institute of Environmental
Science and Research, Auckland Health Protection Service, and the University of
Auckland, found that poverty and overcrowding were significant risk factors for
developing the disease. By adding another vaccine to the already 28
in the childıs schedule can only weaken their immune system further, making the
child more susceptible to catching even the mildest
of everyday illnesses.
The IAS believes that the $100 million plus would be better spent on prevention
of the disease. That is, addressing the social issues that represent risk
factors (poverty, overcrowding and poor nutrition) and undertaking further
research into what predisposes some people to develop meningococcal meningitis
and not others. By reducing the effects of poverty, improving living conditions
and nutrition in many families in New Zealand, not only will the rate of
meningitis be reduced, but there will be an overall improvement in the health
of many New Zealanders, particularly children.
The Immunisation Awareness Society would like to see the following questions
answered and made available to the public before spending New Zealand tax
dollars in endorsing a meningitis B vaccine:
For more information about the Immunisation Awareness Society Inc.,
visit http://www.ias.org.nz or phone us on 09 303 0187.
.