Immunization Newsbriefs (c) 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 .
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July 10, 2002
U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"Vaccine for Diarrhea Being Tested"
Associated Press (www.ap.org) (07/08/02); Neergaard, Lauran
Rotavirus vaccines are currently being tested by Merck and
GlaxoSmithKline. Over $ 1 billion in costs and 40 child deaths
occur annually in the United States because of the disease.
Rotavirus is even more deadly in developing nations. A rare
bowel obstruction side effect in just one out of every 10,000
infants led American Home Products to withdraw its RotaShield
product, the only one on the market, in 1999; poor countries
complained that the side effect was so negligible that RotaShield
would have saved 100 lives for each life it took.
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LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
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YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.