Children could be given untested swine flu vaccine

 

The swine flu vaccine which will be offered to 12 million children in the UK may not have been tested on infants by the time the first batches arrive. Pharmaceutical companies manufacturing the jabs do not have any pediatric safety data for the drugs, which could be distributed to children in the autumn. The first consignment of the vaccine is due to arrive at the end of this month but drugs firms have only just begun trials on adults. Trials on children may not start for a few weeks.

Children are thought to be most at risk of developing a serious form of the H1N1 virus and also help to spread swine flu. It is expected they will be among the first to be vaccinated, along with health professionals, pregnant women and people with underlying health conditions. However, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), which will license the vaccines, said approval could be granted before the results of these trials are known.

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