Pregnant women express fears over swine flu vaccine

Pregnant women express fears over swine flu vaccine

Reported September 02, 2009

Almost half of all pregnant women say they will refuse to be vaccinated against swine flu once the jab is available, suggesting there is widespread concern about its safety, a poll has revealed.

Pregnant women are one of the target groups for vaccination identified by experts advising the government. In July, a study in the US showed they are more at risk of complications if they get the virus and more likely to end up in hospital than other people. Six pregnant women in the US died of swine flu complications between 15 April and 18 May.

Yesterday's survey, published by the website mumsnet.com, confirms the fears of the authors of the US study, which was published online by the Lancet. It showed almost half – 48% – of pregnant women who responded said they probably or definitely would not have the jab if it is available. Only 6% said they definitely would and 22% said they probably would.

The results were unveiled on the eve of publication today of serious criticism of the government's handling of another part of its flu strategy. The Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB), which is independent of pharmaceutical companies, says the government has failed to come clean with the public about potential problems with Tamiflu, the already available antiviral drug that can reduce the severity of a bout of illness. Those include the side-effects, the potential spread of resistance – which could make the drug ineffective – and black market resale of the drug.

The women surveyed by mumsnet were not only reluctant to be immunised themselves but were also not happy to take their children to be vaccinated; 46% of those with children under five said they probably or definitely would not take their children for the jab. Just 5% said they definitely would, and 22% probably would. Some 1,458 people responded to the poll, 15% of whom said they had already had a case of swine flu in their family.

The results may in part be a response to the mildness of the illness that swine flu has induced in most people, but they suggest also that the government will have a big task ahead persuading people that immunisation is a good idea.

"It's obvious from these results and from discussions about this on mumsnet that lots of mums and mums-to-be are questioning whether or not to have the swine flu vaccine or give the vaccine to their children. Some are worried about how well it's been tested, others about its effectiveness and side-effects," said one of the website's founders, Carrie Longton.

"Everyone wants to do the best for their child or unborn child but many parents seem from our poll to be more anxious about the safety of the vaccine than they do about catching swine flu."

The editorial in the DTB, which is owned by the British Medical Journal, says the aims of the introduction of Tamiflu were to limit the transmission of swine flu, to reduce complications that could lead to death, to reduce the burden on society and the economy by shortening the length of a bout of flu, and to increase public confidence that a treatment was available.

But, says the DTB editorial, because this is the first time that Tamiflu has been used in a pandemic, "none of these is underpinned by strong evidence, despite allusions to the contrary from health officials and politicians".

The editorial, published online, goes on: "Defenders of the policy might argue that urgent situations sometimes require action despite incomplete evidence. But in such cases transparent risk assessment is crucial, as is honest communication with the public. So it is regrettable that obvious potential problems from widespread use of oseltamivir [Tamiflu] were not presented openly from the outset."

The UK took delivery last week of 200,000 packs of the vaccine made by Baxter Healthcare, one of two drug companies with which the government has signed contracts.

The vaccines were delivered – in contrast to the normal process for new drugs – ahead of approval for their use. The next step is for the European Medicines Agency to decide whether to license the Baxter vaccine and one made by GlaxoSmithKline. Both manufacturers hope to have their licence by early October. The Department of Health will give priority to those most at risk from the flu, including people with conditions that make them vulnerable – such as diabetes and HIV – as well as health workers.