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November 13, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Smallpox Vaccine Trial for Kids? That May Be Up to You" Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) (11/12/02) P. F3; Kritz, Francesca Lunzer

The potential for deadly side effects has led to the Food and Drug Administration having ethical concerns about testing the efficacy of diluted and undiluted smallpox vaccine in children.  One of the agency's Institutional Review Boards could not decide whether such trials should go on.  As a result, the agency is now seeking expert and public comment on the issue.  While the American Academic of Pediatrics is in favor of the smallpox trial, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices member Paul Offit feels that adult data should be extrapolated to children instead, since it is already known that the diluted vaccine works in adults.

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