Fluvax

[2012 June] Flu vaccine production methods triggered fits: CSL drug giant CSL has admitted its vaccine production methods probably triggered seizures in children, in the first results from its two-year investigation into the Fluvax fits. But CSL refused to say yesterday if it would pay compensation to the families of children hospitalised after being immunised with Fluvax, which has been banned for pediatric use after sending one in 100 children into febrile fits in 2010....The preliminary results of CSL's two-year investigation conclude that its manufacturing methods may have failed to fully split the viruses used to make flu vaccines.

[2011 Oct] TGA defends Fluvax decision The TGA is supposed to be Australia's health watchdog but since they are paid only by drug companies and depend on their funding to continue in operation, one would not expect them to come down hard on what is an obvious cover-up by one of their masters - CSL.

[2011 June] Vaccine family to sue CSL over botched flu shots A PERTH family whose 11-month-old daughter was severely disabled after being vaccinated with CSL's influenza vaccine is about to launch legal action against the Australian pharmaceutical giant.

[2011 May] Virus in the system Fluvax, the predominant vaccine, was triggering febrile fits in one in every 100 children – 10 times the expected rate...By the time Fluvax was suspended, health departments across the country had notified the TGA of 410 adverse reactions among children younger than five, including 67 cases of febrile convulsions, as well as high fevers and vomiting.....Kirsten remembers hearing one of them remark, “It’s another Fluvax baby.”...Sixteen hours after her flu shot, little Saba was in hospital on life support, breathing with the aid of a ventilator and drugged to stop the seizures. An MRI and a CAT scan revealed global brain injury and organ damage. Two doctors and two nurses took the frantic parents aside. “They said they didn’t expect Saba to make it, and if she did she would have severe cerebral palsy and never walk or talk again,” Kirsten says. “It was devastating. I remember I was on the floor, moaning.” Saba spent 11 days in intensive care and eight weeks back in the children’s ward before being sent home with brain damage.