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October 11, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Study Tests Defrosted Smallpox Vaccine, Just in Case"

New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (10/10/02) P. A17; Grady, Denise

A National Institutes of Health study, to be conducted at three universities, will test the safety and effectiveness of Aventis Pasteur's smallpox vaccine supplies that have been frozen for years in 450 volunteers.  Three different strengths of vaccine will be administered to gauge what effect dilution has on the product.  Aventis Pasteur's vaccine and Wyeth's Dryvax were found to still be potent in earlier studies; however, the vaccines could lose effectiveness if diluted too much, so further research is needed.  Sickness requiring being absent from work or school for numerous days was reported by 20 percent to 30 percent of the sample pools from earlier studies, although all patients recovered.

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