§ Mr. Mike O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of adverse reaction among children to immunisation have been reported by the medical profession to her Department in each of the last five years. [24564]
§ Mr. SackvilleThe number of reports of adverse reactions to all vaccines in children reported to the Medicines Control Agency is shown in the table, with the total number of immunisations given to children as part of the childhood vaccine programme:
Time period Number of UK reports of adverse reactions (children aged 16 years or less) Estimated number of immunisations given as part of the UK childhood vaccine programme (children aged 16 years or less) June 91–May 92 481 8,000,000 June 92–May 93 1,585 11,000,000 June 93–May 94 1,125 10,000,000 June 94–present 1,844 18,000,000 Notes:
1. Information about the adverse reactions for the period June 1991 to May 1992 has not been provided because of disproportionate cost. A report of a reaction does not necessarily mean that it was caused by the vaccine.
2. In the time period shown, considerable changes have been made to the childhood immunisation programme. Hib vaccine was introduced in October 1992 and the measles and rubella immunisation campaign was carried out during November 1994.