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For those of you interested in the influenza vaccine/transverse myelitis
and/or Guillain-Barre debate, the attached may be of interest you, which
concerns five deaths in the UK alleged to be causally related to the influenza
vaccination. A sad case to be sure regardless of your feelings on this issue.
Does anyone know any further information about these five cases?
Kevin O
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Copyright 1997 Guardian Newspapers Limited
The Guardian (London)
May 9, 1997
SECTION: THE GUARDIAN HOME PAGE; Pg. 12
LENGTH: 600 words
HEADLINE: FREAK REACTION TO FLU VACCINE LED TO MAN'S AGONISING DEATH
BYLINE: Chris Mihill Medical Correspondent
BODY:
A FATHER-of-three described as "a fit and lively chap" died in agony =
after
being given an influenza vaccination, an inquest heard yesterday.
Harry Richardson, from Bury in Lancashire, had been advised to have t=
he
injection in October 1992, but within days of being given the Flu Virin
vaccine he experienced a "pins and needles" sensation in his legs and was=
taken
to hospital with paralysis, the hearing in Bury was told.
According to neuropathologist Helen Reed, the vaccination resulted in
transverse myelitis - a swelling that badly damaged the spinal cord and l=
eft Mr
Richardson, aged 60, paralysed from the chest down. He also developed mas=
sive
pressure sores.
The cause of death was given as septicaemia, broncho-pneumonia and in=
fected
trophic ulcer as a result of spinal cord damage caused by the vaccine.
Coroner Barrie Williams recorded a verdict of misadventure, but said =
that
doctors should not be put off giving the vaccine to those who needed it. =
He
added: "I have no doubt that Mr Richardson was well advised and that Flu =
Virin
was used in good faith. While it is an undoubted tragedy for his family t=
he odds
against this happening were huge."
The court heard that although Mr Richardson's reaction to the injecti=
on was
rare, other cases have been reported and five people are known to have di=
ed from
similar conditions.
The makers of Flu Virin, Surrey-based Evans Medical, said that since =
its
production in the early 1980s some 65 million doses had been distributed
throughout the world.
But Mr Richardson's family plan to take legal action against the firm=
.
Sylvia Pilsworth, his common law wife for 16 years, said: "I have wai=
ted for
doctors to say that there are side-effects to this vaccination for a long=
time.
Harry suffered horrendously and others should be warned about the hidden
dangers.
"There may only be five recorded cases like Harry's, but that is five=
too
many."
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: May 12, 1997
Copyright 1997 The Press Association Limited
Press Association Newsfile
May 8, 1997, Thursday
SECTION: HOME NEWS
LENGTH: 412 words
HEADLINE: FATHER DIES AFTER COMMON FLU JAB, INQUEST TOLD
BODY:
A father-of-three, described as "a fit and lively chap", ied in agony=
after
being given a common flu jab, an inquest heard today. Harry Richardson, =
of
Tottington, near Bury, Greater Manchester had been advised to have the in=
fluenza
vaccination injection in October 1992. But within days of being given th=
e
vaccine - Flu Virin - the 60-year-old experienced a "pins and needles" se=
nsation
in his legs and was taken to hospital experiencing paralysis, the hearing=
in
Bury was told. According to specialist neuropathologist, Dr Helen Reed, =
the
vaccination resulted in transverse myelitis - a swelling that badly damag=
ed the
spinal cord and left Mr Richardson completely paralysed from the chest do=
wn. He
later also developed massive pressure sores. The cause of death was give=
n as
septicaemia, broncopneumonia and infected trophic ulcer as a result of sp=
inal
cord damaged caused by the influenza vaccine. Recording a verdict of
"misadventure", Coroner Mr Barrie Williams however, refused to condemn th=
e flu
vaccine out of hand. He said: "The influenza vaccination was the origin =
of the
problem and what happened was essentially an unpredictable and unexpected=
thing
which led to the cause of this man's death. "I have no doubt that Mr Ric=
hardson
was well advised and that Flu Virin was used in good faith. While it is a=
n
undoubtable tragedy for his family the odds against this happening were h=
uge.
"Doctors should not be deterred by this case from recommending the flu ja=
b to
patients that are likely to benefit from it." The court heard that altho=
ugh Mr
Richardson's reaction to the influenza injection was said to be rare, oth=
er
cases have been chronicled. So far five people are known to have died fro=
m
similar conditions. The makers of Flu Virin, Surrey-based Evans Medical =
Ltd.,
said that since its production in the early 1980s 65 million doses of Flu=
Virin
have been distributed throughout the world. But Mr Richardson's family p=
lan to
take legal action against the firm. Mrs Sylvia Pilsworth, his widow and =
common
law wife for 16 years, said: "I have waited for doctor's to say that ther=
e are
side effects to this vaccination for a long time. "Harry suffered horren=
dously
and others should be warned about the hidden dangers. There may only be f=
ive
recorded cases like Harry's but that is five to many. People should be to=
ld what
might go wrong."
Mr Richardson died nearly four years after being given the jab in Octo=
ber
1992.
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: May 08, 1997
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