Rotavirus Vaccines Cleared for Use in Infants
In the last few months, pharmaceutical manufacturers have reported
contamination issues related to their Rotarix and Rota Teq rotavirus
vaccines. Both vaccines had been shown to contain fragments of DNA
from a porcine (pig) virus. This particular virus has not been shown to
cause illness in humans.
Still, the FDA was concerned about the contaminant and provided a
precautionary and temporary suspension for one of the vaccines. More
recently, it was reported that the same contaminant was also found in the
other vaccine. A hearing was held, and health officials spent time evaluating
scientific literature and conducting laboratory tests. Following this
evaluation, the FDA concluded and announced that there was no immediate
health risk. A few days later, the FDA issued a statement indicating
that these two vaccines were safe, and that the health benefit to infants
outweighed the theoretical risk involved. The FDA lifted the temporary
suspension related to one of the vaccines, and the other was allowed to
continue to be used in medical practice.