Children Vaccinated against AH1N1 suffer from Narcolepsy
February 8, 2011
The World Health Organization reports that cases of Narcolepsy are possibly related to the vaccine Pandemrix
by Luis R. Miranda
The Real Agenda
February 8, 2011
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday that at least 12 countries reported cases of narcolepsy in children and adolescents who had previously been vaccinated against influenza AH1N1.
Pandemrix is produced by GlaxoSmithKline
The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety, WHO has published a statement specifying that “since August 2010, following massive vaccination against influenza virus H1N1 in 2009, there were cases of narcolepsy in children and adolescents in at least 12 countries. “
However, the group has said it takes “more research” to determine the exact relationship between cases of narcolepsy and influenza vaccination, through the use of the vaccine Pandemrix or another one.
Last week, the WHO announced it was investigating a rise in cases of narcolepsy in Finland which could be associated with the vaccine ‘Pandemrix’ manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, since all patients seemed to have been immunized with the same product.
Finland discontinued use of the vaccine
The Government of Finland had reported cases of narcolepsy among people ages 4 -19 years old, vaccinated against influenza AH1N1.
In Helsinki, the National Institute of Health and Welfare of Finland (THL) published a study showing that the H1N1 flu vaccine Pandemrix, manufactured by pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, increases the risk of childhood narcolepsy.
Since August 2010, following massive vaccination against influenza virus H1N1 in 2009, there were cases of narcolepsy in children and adolescents in at least 12 countries, "WHO says
According to this study, between 2009 and 2010 authorities diagnosed 60 cases of narcolepsy in Finnish children and adolescents between 4 and 19 years, of which 52 (almost 90 per cent) had been vaccinated with Pandemrix.
The phenomenon led the Finnish health authorities to stop using this vaccine as a preventive measure to determine the possible side effects.
Narcolepsy is a pathological state that causes the patients to suffer irresistible sleep at any time.
Possible affected countries
The WHO has donated 36 million doses of the vaccine ‘Pandemrix’ to 18 countries. Three of those countries are Latin American ones, but so far non of those nations have reported cases of narcolepsy.
The list of countries that received ‘Pandemrix’ includes: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cuba, North Korea, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Namibia, Philippines, Tajikistan, Togo, Rwanda, Kenya, Mongolia and Senegal.
The completed final report on the relationship between narcolepsy and this vaccine will be published on August 31.
