Mrs. Butlerasked the Minister of Health what further details he has been able to obtain of the New Zealand experience of the Russian multiple sclerosis vaccine.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI have received no further details from New Zealand. The replies received to inquiries which were222W addressed to the Soviet Union are being studied.
A letter published in the British Medical Journal for 26th July, 1958, from Dr. A. K. Shubladze of Moscow and Professor G. W. A. Dick of the Queens University Belfast, says that they think it clearly necessary to re-investigate and characterise the original isolates of the virus from which the vaccine is prepared, as recent experiments have shown that the strain in current use is similar to rabies virus. As far as treatment with the vaccine is concerned, they say that it is not possible to make any further recommendation until re-investigations have been made.
This latest information makes it clear that both the efficacy and the safety of this vaccine are at present in doubt.