India: Maha doctors say no to Swine flu vaccine

Hindustan Times
Jul. 07, 2010

Doubting its effectiveness and possible side-effects many doctors in Maharashtra have refused to take the Swine flu vaccine, prompting the State Government to mull over the large stock of vaccines. Doctors and paramedical staff in Government hospitals have refused to take the swine flu vaccine, an official said.

No decision could be reached at in a meeting here recently with Health Department on what to do with the vaccine stock, the official said.

It was decided to give Tamiflu tablets in the Government and Municipal Corporation run hospitals and district level hospitals, the official from Health Department said.

Municipal Coporation and district level school authorities have been asked to report about children having fever so that the Health Department can give them Tamiflu on time, the official said.

The State Government procured the vaccine from the Centre after the state was hit by H1N1 last year. The Centre placed an order with French drug maker Sanofi Pasteur for 1.5 million doses of H1N1 vaccines in December, mostly to be given to the high-risk group of medical practitioners.

However, doubting its effectiveness and possible side-effects, doctors in the state have refused to take the vaccine, the official said.