Department of Health
MEDICINES CONTROL AGENCY
Defective Medicines Report Centre
Market Towers 1 Nine Elms Lane London SW8 5NQ
Telephone: 020 7273 0574 Fax: 020 7273 0676 Telex: 883669
D R U G A L E R T
CLASS 2 MEDICINES RECALL
Action Within 48 Hours
Date:18-July-2002 EL(02)A/11 Our Ref: MDR 8-7/02
_______________________________________________________________________________
Dear Sir/Madam,
CHIRON BEHRING GmbH & Co.
ADSORBED DIPHTHERIA AND TETANUS VACCINE (FOR CHILDREN)
PL 16033/0005
Batch Number Pack Expiry Date Date of First Distribution
063041A 1 x 5 vials October 2002 May 2000
Chiron Behring GmbH & Co. is recalling batch number 063041A of Adsorbed Diphtheria and
Tetanus Vaccine (for children) as a precautionary measure.
Patients should be advised to consult their doctor.
Recipients are asked to quarantine all stocks of the affected batch. The vaccine distributor,
Farillon, will shortly be writing to all GPs/hospitals that received this batch to give instruction on
how any remaining stocks should be returned.
All queries should be directed to a dedicated Freefone Hotline Number: 0800 389 9084.
Health Authorities are asked to bring this information to the attention of Community Pharmacists
and General Practitioners by copy of this letter.
Chief Pharmacists and PCT Pharmaceutical Advisers will want to combine this message with the
attached Public Health Link message from the Department of Health in forwarding on to
community pharmacists and community services pharmacists.
Yours faithfully
Graham Matthews
MCA Distribution:
Regional Contacts for NHS Trusts and Provider Units
Chief Pharmacists: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
Prison Health Policy Unit (DH)
Medical Supplies Agency (MOD)
Chief Pharmacists: Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Isle of Man, Gibraltar
Special Hospitals
National Care Standards Commission for information only,
not for distribution
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.