HONG KONG: A panel of experts says it can find no evidence to connect episodes of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) and miscarriages by pregnant women to injections of human swine flu vaccine. The group has come to its consensus after analyzing data in each of the cases.

Yuen Kwok-yung, microbiology specialist at the University of Hong Kong, said tests on a 91-year-old patient who suffered an attack of GBS provided no conclusive proof concerning the source of the episode. The researchers noted that the man consumed several medicines and it may have been those that set off the adverse effects.

Robert C.L. Law, specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, said that there is no evidence to prove that the two stillbirths were connected with the vaccine either. He says he reached his opinion after checking the medical records of the two women.

He added that two to four pregnant women in every thousand suffer stillbirths in Hong Kong. That statistic needs to be compared to two stillbirth reports among more than 1,300 pregnant women who have had the flu shots. The number fits within known statistical parameters in other countries and there is no sign of any increased rate of miscarriages, Law said.

Nonetheless, the expert group expects the Department of Health to keep track of the pregnant women who get jabs and to report any abnormal reactions immediately.

Thomas Tsang, controller of the Centre for Health Protection, concluded the government will continue to look into reports of health episodes among people who have had the vaccine. But the experts will require some time.

In the meantime, given the poor public response to the vaccination program, Secretary for Food and Health York Chow said the government will retain its stockpile of flu vaccine and has no intention of selling or giving it away. The health secretary commented that the government needs sufficient flu vaccine doses to meet the potential need.

The government continues to encourage high-risk groups to be mindful of their health and the risks and to get the shots if they have not done so, Chow said.

(HK Edition 01/29/2010 page1)