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Childhood Vaccine Linked to Convulsions |
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by AVN
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29 February 2008 |
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Children suffered higher rates of fever-related
convulsions when they got a Merck & Co. combination vaccine instead
of two separate shots, according to a new study presented Wednesday.
The
results prompted a federal advisory panel on vaccines to water down
their preference for the combo vaccine ProQuad, which protects against
measles, mumps and rubella as well as chickenpox.
In
the study of children ages 12 months through 23 months, the rate of
seizures was twice as high in toddlers who got ProQuad, compared with
those who got one shot for chickenpox and one for the three other
diseases.
The risk translates to about one
extra case of convulsion for every 2,000 doses of ProQuad given said
Dr. Nicola Klein, who lead the federally funded study. She presented
the data at a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices.
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