800,000 doses of swine flu vaccine recalled

Dec. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Sanofi-Aventis SA recalled 800,000 doses of swine flu vaccine after testing showed the potency of the batches was too low, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement today.

Doctors who have unused shots from the batches should return them, the CDC said today. The shots remain safe, and people who have already been inoculated don’t need to get revaccinated, according to the Atlanta-based agency.

The recalled shots are preservative-free syringes of a low- dose version made for children ages 6 months through 25 months, she said. There are no remaining preservative-free shots available for children under 2 years old. The preservative, called thimerosal, has been shown repeatedly in studies to be safe,

Thimerosal
Toxicology

Poison. Experimental neoplastigen and teratogen. Harmful by inhalation and ingestion. May cause reproductive damage. May be harmful through skin contact. Typical OEL 0.05 mg/m3.
# R39 Danger of very serious irreversible effects.
# R40 Limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect.
# R45 May cause cancer.
# R46 May cause heritable genetic damage.
# R47 May cause birth defects
# R60 May impair fertility.
# R61 May cause harm to the unborn child.
# R62 Risk of impaired fertility.
# R63 Possible risk of harm to the unborn child.
# R64 May cause harm to breastfed babies.
# R65 Harmful: may cause lung damage if swallowed.
# R66 Repeated exposure may cause skin dryness or cracking.
# R67 Vapours may cause drowsiness and dizziness.
# R68 Possible risk of irreversible effects.

though some parents are wary of it, Schuchat said.