Parents Urged To Report Reactions

30 May 2005

Parents Urged To Report Reactions To Meningococcal Jab

Newly formed parent advocacy group Consent Hawke’s Bay is urging parents to report their children’s adverse reactions to the MeNZB vaccine. At a public meeting recently attended by 30 people in Havelock North, parents expressed concerns about the way the vaccine campaign was being run, particularly the brief period they were given to sign the school consent forms.

Several reported their children were so unwell after the first injection of the MeNZB vaccine they were off school for several days afterwards, or became sick after having the vaccine. One Hastings mother had second thoughts after originally signing for her son to have the jab, but although the class teacher was notified, her 5-year-old was still vaccinated.

Other mothers complained their small children had been scared by videos showing the horrific effects of meningococcal disease, (not necessarily the epidemic strain) while some intermediate school children had fainted. No parental consent had been sought for the showing of these videos.

Consent HB is collating stories of adverse reactions for presentation to health authorities. Reactions may occur immediately or not until some time later, but ill effects occurring seven or more days after vaccination are usually regarded as ‘coincidental’ by doctors.

Concerned parents/caregivers whose children have suffered adverse reactions to the MeNZB vaccine are invited to send a brief account of what happened to Consent HB, Box 8650, Havelock North, or e-mail consenthb@kol.co.nz including your phone number. Parents may also report adverse reactions directly by notifying the Centre for Adverse Reaction Monitoring, PO Box 913, Dunedin, Freepost 112002, fax 03 479 7150, using reporting form H1574 (available from your doctor, or downloaded from the internet on http://carm.otago.ac.nz/pdfs/Reporting%20card.doc

Consent also recommends that parents make sure that if they change their minds about the vaccine, they put this in writing as well as informing the teacher.

ENDS

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