| ■ Common children's vaccine recalled | 2007.12.15 |
| TRENTON, N.J. - The recall of a routine vaccine for babies due to contamination risks could trigger a shortage and likely will alarm parents, but officials said there is no known health threat. The recall announced Wednesday covers roughly 1.2 million doses of the vaccine against Hib, which causes meningitis, pneumonia and other serious infections, and a combination vaccine for Hib and hepatitis B. The Hib vaccine is recommended for all children under 5 and is usually given in a three-shot series, starting at 2 months old. Drugmaker Merck & Co. produces about half of the nation's annual supply of 14 million doses of Hib vaccine. Merck recalled the lots after this week identifying a sterility problem in a Pennsylvania factory. It said sample vials from the recalled lots, tested before shipment, were not contaminated but the company could not assure sterility of the entire lots. …… |