Written Question · S2W-16454 · Session 2
Following the introduction of the five-in-one vaccine in August 2004, whether parents of children who previously received the separate oral…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive, following the introduction of the five-in-one vaccine in August 2004, whether parents of children who previously received the separate oral version of the polio vaccine will be offered the oral vaccine and the previous four-in-one vaccine when a booster is due, in order to alleviate concerns that the new vaccine may overload the child's immune system and increase the risk of adverse reactions.
The answer
The new five-in-one vaccine is the only vaccine available via the NHS against the serious diseases of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and polio.
The previous and new vaccines are compatible, so children will be fully protected as long as they complete the programme of immunisations, including the pre-school boosters, in the childhood vaccination programme. Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) has now replaced the live oral polio vaccine (OPV) for all routine indications, including the childhood vaccination programme. This gives less risk of side effects as the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) does not carry any risk of causing vaccine associated paralytic polio (a rare complication that occurred with the oral polio vaccine (OPV)).
The new five-in-one vaccine for infants provides effective protection against diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (whooping cough), Hib and inactivated polio (IPV). Vaccines for pre-school children boost this protection and include diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis and inactivated polio components in one combined vaccine.
There is no evidence that the routine childhood combination vaccines overload the immune system. Vaccines only use a very small part of a child’s immune system and children come into contact with thousands of bacteria and viruses in the environment every day.
The previous and new vaccines are compatible, so children will be fully protected as long as they complete the programme of immunisations, including the pre-school boosters, in the childhood vaccination programme. Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) has now replaced the live oral polio vaccine (OPV) for all routine indications, including the childhood vaccination programme. This gives less risk of side effects as the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) does not carry any risk of causing vaccine associated paralytic polio (a rare complication that occurred with the oral polio vaccine (OPV)).
The new five-in-one vaccine for infants provides effective protection against diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (whooping cough), Hib and inactivated polio (IPV). Vaccines for pre-school children boost this protection and include diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis and inactivated polio components in one combined vaccine.
There is no evidence that the routine childhood combination vaccines overload the immune system. Vaccines only use a very small part of a child’s immune system and children come into contact with thousands of bacteria and viruses in the environment every day.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S2W-16454 by reference.