News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – Merck, the company that makes the most commonly given rotavirus vaccine in the United States, yesterday said it has detected very low levels of DNA from porcine circovirus (PCV) in its Rotateq vaccine, making it the second rotavirus vaccine found to contain PCV.

(CIDRAP News) – While the pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine seems to be just as safe as seasonal flu vaccines, the federal government has been getting some letters from people saying they plan to seek compensation for injuries caused by the injection, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

(CIDRAP News) – About half of the parents responding to a national survey say they are concerned about adverse effects of vaccines, and one in four believe some vaccines cause autism, according to a paper published today by the journal Pediatrics.

(CIDRAP News) – Some clinicians and public-heath workers are experiencing understandable confusion about the timing of doses for H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccines, as well as other childhood vaccines, officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in a conference call for health professionals.

(CIDRAP News) – Federal health officials today hosted a Web telecast to help pregnant women and new mothers prepare for an uptick in novel H1N1 flu infections, a day after a federal judge rejected an advocacy group's request to limit use of the H1N1 vaccine in pregnant women.