Children are still inappropriately being given the Fluvax vaccine, despite warnings
Children are still inappropriately being given the Fluvax vaccine, despite warnings every year about the dangers.
The federal health department confirmed that children under nine were being given Seqirus’ (previously BioCSL) Fluvax, even though the PI includes a black box warning against use in this group.
In 2010, the Therapeutic Good Association removed approval for Fluvax in under-fives after the manufacturer found it was linked to an increased risk of fever and febrile convulsions.
This means that any prescribing in this group is off-label.
The black box also warns that the vaccine should be given only to five to nine-year olds “after careful consideration of the potential benefits and risks in the individual”.
GSK’s Fluarix Tetra has also been administered inappropriately, the health department warned.
“The provision of Fluarix Tetra to children under three years (including half doses of the vaccine) and of Fluvax to children under nine years poses a safety risk to those children,” they wrote.
The Department of Health has also created a prominent warning label for vaccine refrigerators in an attempt to prevent health professionals from using Fluvax in under-age children.
Nevertheless, each year there are more reports of GPs providing the potentially dangerous vaccine to children.
To avoid mistakes, the health department recommended quarantining and clearly labelling children’s vaccines in the vaccine fridge, and making sure two clinical staff check the vaccines before they were given to children.
