Merck Recalls Children's Vaccine
Merck and Co., Inc. and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have announced a recall of about 1.2 million doses of a children's vaccine. The affected lots of haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) vaccine were distributed in the U.S. starting in April 2007, and are being recalled because manufacturer Merck and Co., Inc. cannot assure the sterility of these specific vaccine lots, based on suspected contamination of equipment used in the vaccine's production. A CDC Q&A has detailed information about the recall, including product descriptions, lot numbers, instructions for health care providers, and advice for concerned parents. Reuters reports that the affected vaccine "protects against Hib disease (Haemophilus influenzae type b), which used to be the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in children less than 5 years old."