§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answers of 27 June 2002,Official Report, column 1075W, and of 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 519W, if he will make a statement on the correlation between the irregular dispensation of pneumococcal vaccines and the number of pneumococcal meningitis cases over the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [67691]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 9 July 2002]Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine has been recommended for some years for people over the age of two years who are at particular risk from pneumococcal infection such as those people with chronic renal, heart or lung disease. It is not given annually and in most patients is given once only. Once at-risk groups have been targeted for immunisation, the number of people requiring vaccine the following year should fall. Conjugate vaccine, suitable for those under two, has only recently become available.
The number of notified cases of pneumococcal meningitis over the last five years has declined from 300 cases in 1997 to 201 cases in 2001.
A correlation between the dispensation of pneumococcal vaccine and the number or pneumococcal meningitis cases notified in the same year cannot be made.