Vietnam suspends use of lg hepatitis B vaccine

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Vietnam suspends use of lg hepatitis B vaccine

HANOI: Vietnam has suspended the use of a Hepatitis B vaccine manufactured
by global leader LG group (the Republic of Korea ), when three newborn
babies suddenly died after being administered with the vaccine.

The Health Ministry has immediately halted the use of the vaccine
nation-wide while they ascertain the causes of the infants' deaths, Vietnam
News Agency (VNA) reported.

Dr Do Si Hien, Chairman of the National Vaccination Programme, said that
between April 23 and May 7, a total of four infants went into shock after
being given the vaccine.

According to statistics, usually only one case of Hepatitis B vaccine shock
is found in every one million people vaccinated against the disease, he
added.

According to Hien, children under 12 months of age have been vaccinated
against Hepatitis B under the national vaccination programme since 1997,
with the programme expanding to all regions of the country by 2003. With
close to 1.5 million children being vaccinated annually, Hepatitis B
vaccine has been used on millions of Vietnamese children to date.
Hien warned parents to remain calm, saying that these were extremely
unusual cases that related to only two batches of Hepatitis B vaccine
manufactured by LG. - BERNAMA