Swine Flu

Mr. Harper
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) guidance and (b) advice his Department plans to issue to (i) GPs and (ii) pregnant women to assist each in making an informed decision on swine influenza vaccination in individual cases; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron
On 2 November, the Department issued a comprehensive briefing to all general practitioners about the swine flu vaccination programme and pregnancy, which covers the evidence, risks and benefits of the vaccine for pregnant women. The document has been placed in the Library and is available on the Department's website at:

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Lettersandcirculars/Dearcolleagueletters/DH_107824

A patient focused leaflet is also planned to be issued shortly, which aims to assist pregnant women in making an informed decision about vaccination.

Mr. Harper
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors he took into account when assessing the risks to pregnant women arising from (a) administration of the swine influenza vaccination and (b) contracting swine influenza; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron
Two vaccines have been licensed by the European Medicines Authority for use in pregnant women in the United Kingdom. Licensing of vaccines, including influenza vaccines, is held to a very high standard of safety and the vaccines would not be licensed if they were considered unsafe.

In licensing the current swine flu vaccines for use in pregnancy, the European regulators gave careful consideration to the severe burden of illness caused by swine flu in pregnant women. Epidemiological evidence from North America, Australia and Europe shows that pregnant women are at increased risk of severe disease and influenza-related hospital admission. Figures from the United States have shown that pregnant women who have swine flu are four to five times more likely to be hospitalised than the general population.

The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation reviewed the two licenced vaccines and recommended that pregnant women should be given Pandemrix. This vaccine appears to give adequate levels of antibodies after a single dose thereby conferring protection more rapidly than would be afforded by Celvapan, which requires a two-dose schedule given three weeks apart.