EU nations ban Novartis influenza vaccine after dangerous proteins found

EU nations ban Novartis influenza vaccine after dangerous proteins found


(NaturalNews) A handful of European Union (EU) member nations have
banned several influenza vaccines manufactured by Swiss drug maker
Novartis after agglomerations of small, white proteins were discovered
floating in batch injections of the flu jabs Agrippal and Fluad, neither
of which are sold in the U.S. According to the drug giant, both
vaccines are allegedly still safe, but Germany, Spain, Switzerland,
Austria, Italy, and France are not taking any chances, having all
recently decided to block sales of the affected vaccines until more is
known about the issue.

The tainted vaccines were first discovered
in Italy, which prompted immediate action by the Italian government to
ban not only Agrippal and Fluad, but also Influpozzi and adjuvanted
Influpozzi. Following Italy's decision, both Germany and Spain
implemented their own bans, which prompted subsequent bans by
Switzerland, France, and others. These decisions came as the European Medicines Agency
(EMA), which evaluates the safety of drugs and vaccines approved
centrally for use throughout the EU, announced that it would not lead an
investigation into the safety of the vaccines, as they were all
approved nationally rather than centrally.

Novartis has also
released little information thus far about what the floating particles
are, and how they might affect vaccine safety. The company, which has
seen an increasing share of safety problems in recent years, offered
duplicitous explanations concerning both issues, assuring the public
that, even though it is unclear as to the contents of the particles, the
affected vaccines are still somehow safe for public use.

Authorities
in France, Italy, and elsewhere have also been repeating some of the
same empty reassurances, despite their imposed bans. French Health
Minister Marisol Touraine, for instance, made a public announcement
claiming that none of the impurities had yet been found in vaccines
distributed throughout France, and that there "is no known risk" for
patients who have already received injections of the now-banned
vaccines. The Swiss regulatory drug agency issued similar reassurances,
adding that the white clumps are probably just "normal components of the
vaccine."

"Given
the current unclear situation, Swissmedic has issued a halt to
deliveries for the cited vaccines and recommends not using them until
further notice," added the agency.

Netherlands-based vaccine maker Crucell, which is owned by U.S. drug maker Johnson & Johnson
(J&J), also reportedly halted an Italian shipment of 2.36 million
doses of a different seasonal flu vaccine, Inflexal V, after two lots
out of 32 failed quality control inspections. Crucell says it is holding
deliveries of all its seasonal flu vaccines pending an internal
investigation.


Source:-
http://www.naturalnews.com/037769_influenza_vaccine_banned_dangerous_proteins.html