§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has studied the work at the centre for applied microbiology and research on developing an improved whooping cough vaccine; when clinical trials are envisaged; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke:I am informed that this work is progressing satisfactorily and that studies to determine potency and toxicity are now being undertaken. Clincial trials would be the next stage if those studies were successful.
§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many infants in each region in England and Wales between the ages of two years and five years have started on a course of whooping cough—pertussis—protection following the recommendation of his Department; and whether these children are being recommended a course of vaccination as are infants under the age of one year.
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke:This information is not available. Returns on vaccinations made by health authorities to the Department refer only to the number of courses completed in each calendar year and become available in the following year. The course of vaccination against whooping cough, recommended for children up to the 6th birthday, is 3 doses of the vaccine. Whooping cough vaccine may be given to infants or older children, either in combination with diphtheria and tetanus vaccine, or on its own if a child has previously been vaccinated against diphtheria and tetanus.