§ Norman LambTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the suspension of BCG vaccination programmes in schools. [78849]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 4 November 2002.]: There have been concerns over the school BCG programme following Evans Vaccines Ltd. withdrawing all batches of the BCG vaccine as a precautionary measure. However, the Danish company Statens Serum Institut (SSI) were granted a trading licence by the Medicines Control Agency for its BCG vaccine on 9 September this year.
Stocks of SSI's BCG vaccine are currently being packaged for the UK market and we hope to receive this in mid-November. Once BCG supplies are available, the priority will be to vaccinate those at highest risk of tuberculosis, principally new born babies whose parents are from higher risk communities or who live in high risk areas. The schools programme will then follow on afterwards.