Reuters is reporting around 800 children in Sweden and elsewhere in Europe have developed narcolepsy, an incurable sleep disorder, after being immunized with the Pandemrix H1N1 swine flu vaccine made by British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline in 2009.
Other countries in Europe are also showing increased rates of Narcolepsy cases and results from a study that is soon to be released seem to show a similar patter said sources who have spoken to Reuters.
Not surprisingly, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is stepping back from any indication that there is a problem with their product. According to Norman Begg GSK is “absolutely committed to getting to the bottom of this” which sounds nice and concerned but then added that there was not enough data yet to suggest a link.
The GSK shot Pandemrix was given to over 30 million people all over the world between the years of 2009-2010 as a preventative measure to address fears of Swine Flu. According to Reuters, Pandemrix contains an adjuvant or booster and as such was not used in the United States because regulators were wary of this type of vaccine. We can only hope more people are not affected.
GSK says that 795 people across Europe have reported developing narcolepsy since the vaccines use began in 2009.
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“Independent teams of scientists have published peer-reviewed studies from Sweden, Finland and Ireland showing the risk of developing narcolepsy after the 2009-2010 immunization campaign was between seven and 13 times higher for children who had Pandemrix than for their unvaccinated peers.”[/highlight_blue]
Source: Reuters