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Cancer jab 'unlikely' to have caused girl's death
30 Sep 2009Health chiefs were insisting today that a cervical cancer vaccine was safe after a 14-year-old who died shortly after being given the jab was found to have had an underlying medical condition.
But the preliminary post-mortem examination findings on Natalie Morton did not completely rule out the possibility of a link between her death and the injection.
While the NHS said it was "most unlikely" the HPV vaccination caused her death, questions remained about the nature of her medical condition.
The Government said it was confident in the cervical vaccination programme and urged parents and schools use it.
Public health minister Gillian Merron said: "We hope that girls continue to protect themselves against cervical cancer by having this vaccine."
Natalie collapsed at Coventry's Blue Coat Church of England School on Monday and died in hospital.
Dr Caron Grainger, joint director of public health for NHS Coventry and Coventry City Council, said last night: "The preliminary post-mortem results have revealed a serious underlying medical condition which was likely to have caused death.
"We are awaiting further test results which will take some time. However, indications are that it was most unlikely that the HPV vaccination was the cause of death.
"We would again like to reiterate our sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Natalie Morton during this difficult time."
The post-mortem examination was carried out at University Hospital in Coventry and Natalie's family had been informed of the initial results, NHS Coventry said.
Meanwhile, the NHS quarantined the batch of Cervarix vaccine and schools and primary care trusts temporarily suspended the immunisation programme.
Manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline recalled the specific batch of vaccine for further testing.
A Department of Health spokesman said: "As a purely precautionary measure we have asked the NHS to quarantine all stocks of HPV vaccine from the batch related to this case.
"No link can be made between the death and the vaccine until all the facts are known.
"Results of tests on the batch of vaccine will be announced as soon as they are known.
"The HPV vaccination programme can continue as planned - there is no reason for the campaign to be suspended or interrupted.
"However, we recognise that minor delays may occur in the next day or so in some areas.
"Where the local NHS has supplies of vaccine from other production batches, they should continue with the vaccination programme.
"PCTs that need more supplies of HPV vaccine to replace quarantined stock should order it in the usual way."
Philip Stevens, director of health at International Policy Network think-tank, said the chance of developing a severe, life-threatening reaction to the vaccine was around one in a million.
"The probability of a British woman developing cervical cancer over her lifetime is one in 136, or 0.74% - that's 7,400 times greater," he explained.
"The risks of taking the vaccine are therefore many, many times smaller than not taking the vaccine and going on to develop cervical cancer."
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) chief executive Professor Kent Woods said many women's lives would be saved in the future as a result of the vaccine.
"More than 3,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and approximately 1,000 women die from it," he said.
The NHS started the national HPV immunisation programme in September last year, offering vaccines to girls aged 12 and 13 and to 17 and 18-year-old girls.
Vaccination is not compulsory and consent is required before it is administered to under-16s.
Reader views (5)
It says on the prescribing information for Gardasil that people died in the trials. They claim the rates were similar to the backround population but notice that only one child died from the placebo control while every other death was a child who received Gardasil or the AAHS (Amorphous Aluminum Hydroxyphosphate Sulfate) control Here is the relevant section:
"Deaths in the Entire Study Population...pulmonary embolus/deep vein thrombosis (1
subject who received GARDASIL and 1 AAHS Control subject). In addition, there were 2 cases of sepsis, 1
case of pancreatic cancer, 1 case of arrhythmia, 1 case of pulmonary tuberculosis, 1 case of
hyperthyroidism, 1 case of post-operative pulmonary embolism and acute renal failure, and 1 case of
systemic lupus erythematosus in the group that received GARDASIL; 1 case of asphyxia, and 1 case of
acute lymphocytic leukemia in the AAHS Control;"
Before you stick this vaccine in your child's arm please do some research and realize what the risks are.
- Graham, Seattle, USA, 08/10/2009 23:46
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Worried Parent, unfortunately you do not have the right to know what this poor child's "underlying health problems" were, unless her parents give their permission for her personal information to be released.
In terms of your natural concern and worry re your own daughter's vaccination; surely you have discussed this with your own GP? And I'm assuming that as a caring parent, you wouldn't leave it to the school to check records, but would remind them of your daughter's medical condition?
This is an extremely tragic story, but I have to agree with Kerry in Purley, we mustn't lose sight of the fact that many many lives will be saved in the future by vaccinating our young girls now. Surely the horrific story of Jade Goody's young and painful death hasn't been erased already?
- Mandy, London, 30/09/2009 14:05
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Personally I wouldn't want my daughter to have the jab - no matter how tiny the risk. Even with the jab, women still have to have cervical smear tests anyway and these are exceptionally good at picking up pre-cancerous cells.
- Louise, London, 30/09/2009 13:17
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Whilst I offer my condolences to the family and wish them respite from their grief, how long will it be before the middle class women start to complain, "it's not safe" "it's all the Governments fault". Indeed I see one already. You have to expect some deaths no matter how tragic. Weigh this against the countless girls who may not now die of cervical cancer. no comfort to the parents of this tragic girl obviously, but in a strictly utilitarian concept, well?
- Kerry, Purley, 30/09/2009 12:41
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I would like to know what the "underlying health problems" which were the cause of this unfortunate girls death as a matter of some urgency. My own 15 year old daughter has a small hole in the heart, which has been notified to the school. Do schools actually look at pupils records or do they just give them the Jab and when a death occurs, the "unspoken" answer is that a death is expectd in every million vaccinations.
- Worried Parent, Lake District, 30/09/2009 08:48
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